


Reliance

by underground_archivist



Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-26
Updated: 2012-08-03
Packaged: 2020-07-30 16:08:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 26,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20099932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/underground_archivist/pseuds/underground_archivist
Summary: What to do when the only person you can trust is your rival?Sarah has lost her family and the only person she can rely on is Jareth. Wil she choose for Jareth - or will she turn her back on him and try to fight herself through hardships unnumbered and dangers untold?





	1. The Crime

**Author's Note:**

> Note from banshee, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Underground](https://fanlore.org/wiki/Underground_\(Labyrinth_archive\)) and was moved to the AO3 as part of the Open Doors project in 2019. I tried to reach out to all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are the creator and would like to claim this work, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Underground’s collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/underground/profile).

Sarah watched the screen of the television, her eyes looking but her brain not processing a single thing. Toby was sitting upside down besides her and Robert and Karen sat on the other couch. Her little brother's new puppy, Merlin the second, was chewing on some sort of dog toy joyously. Even though Sarah never went out with friends, since she only had one which also was always busy, she wished she had now. It was her sixteenth birthday and she really had imagined it differently. She raised and stretched, catching her father's attention as soon as she moved. "I'm going to get a shower and get to bed, I'm really tired."

"Okay Sarah, goodnight." Robert patted her arm as she passed and continued to watch the movie.

"Night Sar." Toby chirped while propping a new bunch of popcorn in his mouth.

Sarah made her way up the stairs, thinking. Sixteen. She could learn how to drive a car now. The girl wouldn't though. Where should she go anyway? Her school was just ten minutes away when walking, her friend about twenty minutes and she had no interesting family she wanted to visit. A lot had already happen to her, even though she wasn't that old. In fact, it had almost gone so far that she couldn't bear it anymore.

The girl stepped into the bathroom, closing the door behind her and turning on the shower. With a shiver she tried to suppress the urge to run and hide when she thought back to the trap she had been caught in for several years. She quickly stepped into the shower and started to wash herself.

Just fifteen minutes later she stepped out of it, dried off and wrapped her body in a towel. Sarah hurried to her room, ditched the towel and dressed into an oversized long sleeved nightgown and loose pants. She wasn't afraid her family would disapprove or would do anything to her if she would wear something more of her size, but well there were people outside that might do something. The girl turned off the lights, leaving her door on a crack, and went to bed.

~

Back in the Labyrinth, Jareth stared out of his window. The sky was black, millions of white dots covered the big fabric. The crystal moon was huge, slightly blue, and watched like a big eye over the complete rest that stretched like it never ended. The entire area seemed like a black hole. People without owl eyes like Jareth couldn't see a thing. The Goblin King smiled, he adored this place. He ruled it for almost a century now, and still he could admire every turn, every bush and every stone which it took him so much magic to make it.

But, what does it mean to be an immortal king with a great realm, without a beautiful queen?

The man in the window sill let his head fall back against the cold stone, watching the ceiling. He lived almost a century without an empty feeling. Still being a young king, his Labyrinth giving him pride, power and something to care for. But after a long, long while, he met a girl.

The first year after he laid eyes on her for the first time, he sat in the park for hours as she played his story, written for her by the king himself. Jareth had first met her when she was nine years old, had written the story then, and gave it to her for her birthday. He smirked when he thought about that day.

~

Sarah smiled at her uncle who was sitting in front of her. "Your turn, unny." The man raised an eyebrow at the chessboard. He thought for a minute, then he moved the king. The girl squeaked and made her final move. "Checkmate!" Sarah put her hands in the air.  
The man chuckled. "Again, little girl. Very good. You're so clever." Sarah giggled.

"Sarah, a package for you!" Robert put a small box in her hands.

"Oh?" Sarah smiled. "Thanks daddy." She looked at the dark blue wrapping-paper, it felt like velvet. "Wow, cool." The girl opened the little box carefully and found an envelope first. With curiosity she opened it, wanting to know who gave it to her.

_"Miss Sarah Williams,_

_Please take this gift as a sign how I adore you.  
I wrote the story myself, take great care for it, it took me many days._

_~ Jareth"_

Sarah frowned. "Who is Jareth?" She shrugged faintly and looked what the box contained. With curiosity she took out the object. "The Labyrinth…" The red book felt warm in her hands, a spicy, fruity scent drifted in her nose. It was made of leather, and the title was written in a very nice, neat handwriting. She didn't know why, but a shiver ran up through her spine. The girl put it back in the box with the paper and shot up. "Sorry unny, your revenge will have to wait." Sarah smirked and gave her uncle a hug. "Daddy, I'm going to the park!"

The girl let herself fall on the grass and opened the book. After a while she got wrapped in the story. "Sarah, I have been generous, up until now, but I can be cruel…" Sarah said out loud, and bent further over the book, not noticing the owl right in front of her on one of the obelisks.

~

Jareth smiled and chuckled softly as he heard that Sarah played the music box. Again. She had been listening it so often that he stopped counting after fifty times. The Goblin King was very amused when Sarah couldn't get enough of his second gift, this time for her tenth birthday. Five years before she solved the Labyrinth, and won. Jareth was utterly surprised she had beaten him. Sarah knew the story too well. He was surprised, proud and happy for her. At the other side, Jareth was broken, rejected and hurt. Sarah left him behind. The Goblin King didn't even think about keeping Toby, he just wanted_her_ near.

He had not even watched her that year after the Labyrinth, he couldn't. Every time when he encouraged himself, Jareth just didn't want to see what couldn't be his. But tonight, it was her sixteenth birthday, and he needed to see her.

The Goblin King stood on the window sill, stretched his arms and jumped down. In mid-air, just before he would hit the ground, he turned in an owl with a swirl of glitter and white smoke. Jareth flew Aboveground.

~

Sarah sighed as she lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Her music box sung softly. The past two years she had been listening it so often she knew every note by heart now. The girl thought about her old friends, she was upset that they never came back after her party. Certainly since she had craved companionship since she was still so very scared, even after three years after_it_ happened.

Perhaps that was a problem.

Sarah was probably just being naive. She didn't believe in fairy tales anymore, right? She was sixteen now and had to face reality. Even though reality had beaten her so mercilessly in the past. The girls eyes begun to veil and the last thing she saw were flapping white wings.

The owl landed on the branch in front of her window. The dainty and feral eyes watched the girl, how her chest rose and fell. He screeched, a sound that cut through the silence.

After an hour or two Jareth turned around to leave, knowing she was safe in the dark shadows in her room. He hadn't seen her face, to his disappointment. The owl stretched his big elegant wings, bending to fly off, until he heard gun shots, five to be precisely. Right after that he heard screams, calls for help that almost tore his heart and unnerved him immensely.

Something was wrong,very, very wrong.


	2. Friend or Foe?

The owl jumped and turned to the window with wide eyes. He screeched, panicked, and looked into Sarah's room. Her door was wide open now, the light spilling in her room from the hallway. A little puppy cried, ran into the room and crawled into the bed to hide himself in her arms. Sarah's eyes were wide open, she was trembling, her hair a mess than hung over her shoulders and curled to her face thickly.  
  
Even though it was probably the most inappropriate time ever Jareth had to admit to himself she looked pretty ravishing.  
  
"Merlin?" The girl whispered, her voice shaking. "Oh Merlin, what was that?" She pressed the dog closer against her chest, which buried himself in her arms and cried softly. Sarah cleared her throat nervously. "Daddy?" Her voice was a hoarse whisper. "Daddy, Karen?" She got no answer and tried to call a little bit harder. "Toby?" A chill went through her spine when she heard footsteps on the stairs. It seemed to take hours before they reached her room and Sarah held her breath.  
  
  
A big, broad man stepped in the doorway, blocking most of the light and hiding the frightened Sarah in shadows, the thing she feared most. A gun was in his hand and two other guys appeared behind him, blocking even more light. The three frightening silhouettes walked in slowly, looking from one of their companions to the girl. The puppy panicked and hid behind the pillows.  
  
Sarah crawled back against the wall, closed her eyes and praying. One of the men chuckled and her eyes shot open. The girl screamed and tried to kick away the men that were now way too close. Although her eyes were firmly closed, see still could feel how the men were starting to tear her clothes.  
  
Suddenly the windows burst open, wind invading the room.  
  
The hands vanished and it had gone very silent but Sarah was still holding her eyes shut and was still shaking like a leaf. The girl was crying softly and clutched the sheets to her chest. "Someone save me, someone take me away from this awful place!" She prayed out loud when there were sounds of silent footsteps. Something leather touched her cheek very softly and her eyes shot open while she sucked her longues full of air, backing away as far as possible. "Please go away!" Sarah called out in blind panic, hitting her head against the edge of the headboard in a painful angle. Her eyes shot open and fell on the man that was sitting on the edge of her bed. "Please."  
  
"Hush, sweet girl, I'm not going to harm you." He said calmly but he saw Sarah's eye dart around the room, desperate to find an escape.  
  
He reached out to her face but the girl pushed herself away again, Merlin coming from the pillows and crawling in her embrace. "Then what are you doing here?"  
  
Jareth looked at her with sad, concerned eyes and decided to give her some space. The man walked to the other side of the room, seeing her looking him over very swiftly. "I'm here to protect you, Precious thing. I just prevented you from getting…" His jaws clenched together and her looked away, not able to spill the last word.  
  
"Say it." She defied him. He looked at her, looked away again and then shook his head. "Say it!" Sarah urged him with a snarl.  
  
"Raped!" He spat. "Was that what you wanted me to say?"  
  
Her eyes narrowed briefly but she sank back against the pillows, suddenly looking much smaller. "You know what? I don't even care about that anymore. I'm just a toy to the world anyway – even a toy to your world." She chuckled bitterly. "Pathetic, huh? Being a toy in your own dreams?" She pushed fresh tears from her cheeks. "A fucking Barbie. Nobody loves or even likes me on this bloody planet. And those who do care are, well…" It seemed like all bones in her body disappeared along with the small amount of colour in her face that had been left. "Gone."  
  
The Goblin King felt sorry for her and he frowned. "You don't know if-"  
  
"I know it, Goblin King. I felt their hearts stop beating along with my last whiff of hope." She looked away from him, not wanting him to see her sorrow. "Will you leave already?" Her last word was choked out in a sob, a tear making its way down her cheek.  
  
"And risk you getting hurt? I may be a ruler of the goblins but I'm still a gentleman."  
  
"Please not now, I need to digest that I was almost getting raped ag-" She hid her mouth behind her hand, her eyes wide open. Jareth's expression changed from cool to shocked, to absolutely furious. His nostrils flared, his lips pressed together and his hands fisted.  
  
"Again?!" He fumed. "You mean it happened before? Who did this?!"   
  
Sarah cringed and curled up, closing her eyes. "Please don't be mad! I took care of it – I promise!"  
  
The Goblin King became even more furious, not because of the fact he had let this happen, but because he had scared the wits out of her. He forced himself to calm down and he sighed softly. "Please Sarah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you. Please tell me what happened."  
  
"I got my first boyfriend. I was really naïve though to start with that on such a young age. Just eleven years old. I thought in the beginning he was great. But after a month of presents and sweet words, seductions and nice places, we went to his house for the first time, because it was his sixteenth birthday." Sarah blushed, ashamed and jumped when he attempted to come closer. What was a sign for him to stay where he was, he raised his hands to bring back the peace. She bit her lip. "I soon found out, after I got there, that it wasn't his birthday, I took it for granted, I guess. Silly to believe your new boyfriend tells the truth. Anyway, it wasn't his birthday, but he claimed a present…" Sarah looked him straight in the eyes. "Me." The girl stroked Merlin gently. "He locked me up in the basement. Two pieces of bread a day and a small bottle of water. I had to deal with the darkness, the cold, the uneasiness and…" She pushed a tear away with the palm of her hand, refusing to look at him. "The guys. I didn't know when a day passed, but I'm sure there came five men a day, maybe more, I don't know. Most of them were around sixteen to eighteen years old but sometimes there were men from almost thirty. They could do with me as they please as long as I kept alive." The girl sniffed. "So I got beaten, abused, cut and sometimes they pulled a lot of hair out of my head. Trevon, that was the name of my certain boyfriend, demanded me to keep quiet. He told me not to search for an escape, because there wouldn't be one."  
  
The Goblin King looked at her with narrowed eyes. 'Those guys will feel my wrath.' He snarled. "Who did this to you?"  
  
Sarah shrieked. "I, I don't know, I swear!" She said frightened.  
  
"Sarah I am truly sorry. I did not mean to fright you. Please continue." He pleaded.  
  
The girl nodded, frightened. "I've been there for a long, long time. It felt like I had been there twenty years. But after that long time, there came a day where I taught myself how to open door when they were locked. I'm glad he wasn't at home when I escaped. My dad, Karen en Toby ran to me as I came home. I had been a prisoner for four years. I felt used, dirty and broken." She looked up to him, her eyes escaping the shadows. "I thought that I couldn't feel clean anymore for the rest of my life. Those nightmares would be chasing me until my last breath. And that was true." Sarah rose from the bed and walked to the broken window, the men in black were gone. Glass and wood cracked under her feet, shifting and digging in her flesh. "I never went further than the backyard after that. I was home-schooled, Karen told me everything. And well, that was pretty much it. All males are scaring the crap out of me, I feel no pain anymore and I think I won't be able to love anyone again."  
  
Jareth's face had probably never contained so much sadness. 'It's my fault, if I just kept an eye on her after I had given the gifts this would never have happened.' "Sarah, please." He said softly. "Be careful. Your feet are bleeding, get out of that dangerous place."  
  
She sighed and walked back to her bed. Sarah took out the pieces of wood and glass that struck in her flesh. The girl started to sob again.  
  
"Please let me give you a safe accommodation…" The Goblin King pleaded.  
  
"I don't know." Sarah sniffed. "I can't trust you…"  
  
"Sarah, you can. I can show you the colour of life again, you have to believe me." Jareth formed a crystal on his fingertips. "You can only see the dark side of the world, but nothing is what it seems. Nothing is impossible, and you know it. You were a girl that loved fantasy so intensely. You are the only left in the world that could see the true colour of fairy tales. Don't lose that passion, you can't do that to us."  
  
"Us?"  
  
"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" The Goblin King queried.  
  
She seemed shocked by that question. "Um, you're kidding right? You're the one that pulled me though that Labyrinth."  
  
He sighed deeply, rubbing his cheek. "We'll talk about that later. Please be a good girl and stay here – I don't want you to see what's going on down there."  
  
"No I don't want them to leave them like that. And I certainly won't let them alone with you."  
  
Jareth felt something piercing his heart when she voiced her distrust towards him. He moved, seeing Sarah tense instantly. He halted, breaking eye contact and sat down on the chair of her vanity. "I can be trusted Sarah, you have to believe me." His eyes travelled through the room and his eyes fell on the gun he hadn't noticed earlier. "Please obey me for this one time. Stay in this room." The man raised and with a snap of his fingers the room was clean and Sarah's feet healed and he walked to the door. "I really don't want you to see this, I'll make sure everything is done properly. I know the way things go there." Suddenly his always proud stance collapsed and he looked at her pleadingly. "I truly can – and honestly want – to protect, comfort and care for you Sarah. You just have to let me. Try to get some sleep, after that we talk." Jareth clothed himself in human attire and moved to leave.  
  
"Wait!" Sarah called out, leaning forward slightly. "What happened to those men?"  
  
Jareth smiled reassuringly. "I took care of them, Sarah. Already waiting stuck under a closet for the police to pick them up." He left quietly, his footsteps like a comforting whisper on the floor. Sarah listened in a trance to the phone call and as soon as he hung up she started to cry noisily, senselessly and broken.  
  
Faster than she thought was possible Jareth was in the doorway, softly calling her name. She looked up at him through blurry eyes while he was holding out his arms. It took Sarah some moments to actually notice his helpful stance but she curled up to a ball on her bed. She was magically lifted to the pillows and got tucked in.  
  
Jareth sighed softly. "Should you need me, for any reason at all…"  
  
"I'll call." Sarah spoke quietly. "Thank you." Tears still leaked down her cheeks as she buried herself in the pillows.  
  
"I'll turn on the light so you feel safer and less lonely." His voice was a bit cold and even and Sarah wondered if he was upset because she rejected him. Again.  
  
Jareth left again and Sarah looked to the wall numbly.  
  
~  
  
[AN: Latin alert: read the following scene in English in the artist's comments!]  
  
The Goblin King watched how the humans carried away Sarah's father and stepmother from a distance. When the body of the small boy was carried away, he whispered under his breath. "Ex tempore."  
  
The humans froze, the sound of the cars died and the clock in the main hall held its breath.  
  
Two shapes rose from the ground and looked up at the ceiling with blind eyes. Their white hair hang down limply, their sunken cheeks and lanky limbs stiff, one giving off cold and one giving off warmth. "Regem Jareth, tempus es stetit." One declared with a voice like the wind. The other spoke then. "Quare?"  
  
"Maturitas, Daemonion, gratulatio." The Goblin King welcomed them. "Volo nisi amissum haec animas." Jareth ordered while looking at the little form under the fabric. "Contendo adiuvabis me. Quia non potest illam."  
  
"Quid mortals animos capimus? Suus adversus rectores." Daemonion argued.  
  
"Iudiciis placet retracto." The Goblin King said a little frustrated. "Quorum progenie adultis erit mihi futurum regina. Parvulus cogitabat heredem esse regna."  
  
The blinds turned, now facing the man that stood between them. Their eyes were still staring up at the ceiling, milky white orbs reflecting the ancient knowledge. "Et quid faciemus istis aniabus?" Maturitas asked. "Ut arbitramur salvos?" Daemonion said.  
  
"Dare vitam quietam terris ulterioribus. Ego faciam obvius Sarra post."  
  
The blinds eyes moved slowly, ghastly to Jareth's temples. Daemonion purred. "Hoc factum non gratis." On which Maturitas replied. "Scitis, non?" A frightening wide smile spread on their faces.  
  
"Merces vestra expectat, stulti!" The king barked, one which Matirutas and Daemonion snarled. "Puella quae perierunt posset iliaca vitam suam quovis momento!" The words fell over his lips so fast and intense that the shapes cringed and almost shied away. "Sum sermonem meum regem vobis et nos provideant post!"  
  
Daemonion growled and held out his hand to Matirutas, which they lay palm to palm, their long fingers reaching up. Their forefingers touched Jareth's temples and magic gathered around them visibly. "Nisi mortalium animas a cuniculum adire sunt conpulsi. Mittantur ad otium veteres mundum virtute. Nemo illis itinere quidquam patiatur mali, ad regem quibus benedixerit coboli animas perdidit!"  
  
All three of them let out a sigh, closing their eyes. Then Daemonion and Matirutas took one step back, their eyes dimming from a frightening complete blackness to the milky human shaped eyes. "Fit, memineritis quod puteus exsisto exspecto praemium." Matirutas reminded him. "Serpens quid eveniat quem non adepto nostrum praemium tempore!" Daemonion smirked wickedly, Matirutas starting to laugh deeply. Slowly they faded away and their laughed dimmed until there only was a complete silence left.  
  
Jareth's head spun and it took him some moment before he had regained composure. "Tempus." He said almost carelessly as he rubbed his temple.  
  
The clock started ticking again, the engines outside roared to life and the mortals moved again.


	3. Back to School

Jareth watched Sarah from the doorway, his ankles and arms crossed as he leaned against the wood. She was curled up to a small ball on the bed, fiddling with the sheets she held close to her head. "You'll have to get up sooner or later." The Goblin King pointed out.

"Later sounds fine to me." She mumbled.

"Stubborn adolescent." He sighed.

"Pain in the ass." She snapped back.

"Drama Queen."

"Sore loser."

Jareth narrowed his eyes. "High school student."

Sarah bolted upright and gaped. "You didn't!"

"I did." A smile crept around the corners of his lips.

"You… you!" She first hissed but the second time fright crept in her voice.

"Oh come come, Sarah. You've been moping in bed for two months now. I didn't become your guardian to see you sulk in your bed all day. It's a great loss but no one of your family would have wanted you to be like this. Now get out, dinner's ready."

Sarah crossed her arms and looked down to the sheets with a foul mood. "I'm not going and I'm not going now either."

"You'll have to go or I'll be late for work." His face suddenly lit up, a brilliant smile on his face and his eyes sparkling. 

Sarah looked up, her mouth dropping and her eyes wide. "You? But – but you're a king! You don't have time for this!"

"Forgot a day is longer in the Labyrinth? Half of my time is spent as a king, a third as your guardian and a sixth on handling moody teenagers in a classroom – and you'll be one of them."

"You'll be one of my teachers? Forget it! Now I'm not going at all!"

"Sarah love." He raised and held out his hands. "You're looking to your new Mythology teacher!"

The girl gawked at him and felt like she was going to faint. She blinked a few times and shook her head. "Wait a second – then when will you sleep?"

"I don't really need sleep actually, only when I'm wounded or when I've used a lot of magic in a short time. Now come on before the meal is cold – and if it will be cold you know you'll get it through the blender tomorrow along with desert – cold."

"I'm not hungry." Sarah lay back down and shrieked as Jareth pulled the sheets of her. He held them firmly in one hand and Sarah held her arms around her body, still afraid. He looked pretty ticked off all of sudden.

"Do you really have to make me behave like your father? Rise, put on your robe and eat."

The girl cringed, rose carefully and put on her robe. She didn't move after that. She kept standing there with her arms wrapped around her and her head hanging low. She heard a sigh and footsteps dying away. Sarah turned, seeing the bed made and the room empty besides her. Quietly and carefully she stepped out of the room and stepped very carefully through the hall, downstairs and peeked into the kitchen.

Jareth was standing there facing the window, one arm wrapped around his middle and one hand raised to rub his temple while his head was hanging. She jumped as he started to talk. "Being careful doesn't work, being ignorant doesn't work, a firm hand doesn't work. I'm getting really tired of this, Sarah." He turned, his hands dropping to the sides of his body. "If you continue like this I'm afraid I'll have to let you go and leave you at the mercy of the government. You know what will happen then Sarah, you'll have to go to a family you've never met before and all your possessions right now, the house, the furniture and the money will be in the state's hands. Don't force yourself into that corner, I'm sacrificing my own time for you and I'm doing all of this for your own good." Jareth walked past her, heading to the guestroom on the right wing of the house.

Sarah looked down and bit her lip.

~

Jareth rubbed his forehead and shoved away the last form for the night. He looked on the clock and saw it was five in the morning. He shrugged, raised and lay down on the bed. He put his arms behind his neck, closed his eyes and relaxed.

It seemed like just a few minutes had passed when the door opened and bright light streamed into his room. With a grunt he opened his eyes, blinking a few times and leaned on his elbows. He blinked a few times when he saw Sarah standing in the doorway in her school uniform. "Hurry up professor, or you might be late." She said, teasing when she saw his shocked expression.

The Goblin King looked at the girl in front of him, the white blouse, red, tight jacket, red cravat, red shirt, white socks and red simple slippers. Her hair was pinned up to a messy ponytail, raven stands still framing her face. He suppressed the urge to lick his lips and he cleared his throat. He rose swiftly, snapping his finger so he was clothed in his own uniform and he walked towards her. "Most certainly."

She snorted as she looked up at him. "You still look an awful lot like the Goblin King. How about a ponytail yourself, or a nice pair of glasses?" He raised one eyebrow and snapped his fingers again. Sarah looked at him and nodded. "Much better. Temple-less glasses are a bit strange but okay."

"Just get in the car, Miss Criticism." He snorted and walked past her, grabbing a suitcase on his way.

Sarah sat down in the black Acura NSX and rolled with her eyes as she put on her seatbelt. "You couldn't just choose a simple, unnoticeable car, could you?"

"Why should I? Don't you want to make a good first impression?"

The girl snorted. "Failure. I won't be able to make a good impression at all because a _teacher_ will be with me."

"An inhumanly handsome teacher – that is way to appealing for his almost 3,755th birthday." He smirked as he slid out of the drive smoothly and sped off.

Sarah sighed. "Really – you are way to confident. You could use a humiliation."

"Do I? Do your worst, Williams."

She looked out of the window. Jareth had been her caretaker for two months now, he had always been playful but not on a level that it unnerved her. She was still afraid of him – and any other male in a radius of five meters – but she was starting to trust him. Sarah was afraid – he could hurt her any second of the day, now that he was constantly in her presence. Prudence and alertness were of utter importance and she never let her guard down. Even in her sleep she had sometimes woke from her nightmares to see him walk out of her room. Her eyes shifted from outside to the man besides her and she stared at his profile. She had completely forgotten to pay attention in the Labyrinth – somehow she even winded up dancing with him. Even though he was older than her… how much older, actually?

"Jareth, what age would you be in this world?"

He seemed surprised by that question. "Well – still 3,755 really, but I guess you mean where I'd be on the lifespan if it would shrink to a mortals…" Jareth frowned and thought for a second, never failing to drive like he had done it for centuries. "I guess… Somewhere my late twenties or early thirties, I think." The Goblin King smiled. "That thought flatters me actually – it reminds me of the fact I could easily reach my 12.600th birthday." His face lit up like it had done the day before – the second time she had seen him this happy. "Still a teen in Fae lifespan."

"You don't look like a teen at all." She said drolly.

Jareth frowned, pursing his lips. "Spoiler." He parked at the high school, instantly catching many glances. He made sure his glasses were still in the pocket of his coat and he undid his seatbelt. "Ready?"

"No." She retorted.

"What a pity." He opened the door and stepped out, closing the door behind him. Sarah crawled out on the other side and he closed the car as soon as she threw the door closed. "Well Sarah I'll see you in ten minutes, when class starts. Go get your papers by the reception and don't be late."

Sarah stuck out her tongue and watched him as he headed for the entrance. Girls looked after him dreamily and then looked to her, frowning. The girl blushed and headed for the entrance too, seeing the reception as soon as she entered.

~

Sarah walked through the halls, looking around curiously. Boys and girls were pointing and talking about her. She caught a few things that hurt or scared her. Things like 'Ew, who's that? Did she never hear of the sun?' and a guy on her right whispered to some others 'Look, fresh meat – I don't mind taking a bite from her'. She looked down on the paper again and looked around. She sighed, relieved when she saw that she was standing right in front of the right classroom. The girl looked inside through the glass window and saw a handful of students inside. Shyly she slipped inside and looked around the big room.

"Hey, an early bird too, huh?"

Sarah looked to the girl that was staring expectantly at her. She had red, shining long hair, hanging over one shoulder in an hair elastic piercing blue eyes, full red lips and was clad in the same outfit as she was. On the side where her red hair wasn't draped over her shoulder was a big earring on which a black feather and other small things hang.

"I – um, I'm new." Sarah blurted out a bit uncomfortably.

"I knew it – I've never seen you before." The girl made her way to her and held out her hand. "My name is Kaida."

"Sarah." She said, smiling slightly as she shook her hand.

Kaida mentioned the other student to come to her. "This is Paul," A pale guy with short black hair, thin lips and green eyes. "Laura," A girl with blond, long, straight hair, thin lips and grey eyes. "Sam," A tanned girl with long brown hair, full lips and brown eyes. "Hector," A guy with brown, combed back hair, green eyes, thin lips and a pierced eyebrow. "And Zoe." A girl with curly light brown hair, a slight tan, almost black eyes and full pink lips. They each greeted her and Hector bent forward to look on the papers she carried.

Sarah stumbled back in blind panic and bumped into someone. She looked up at that person with wide, frightful eyes.

"Careful, Sarah." Jareth smiled down at her and stabled her. She had been too absent and curious that she hadn't noticed the bell ringing – the whole classroom was now packed with students. "Go on take your seats." He carefully nudged them towards the seats and lay down his papers and put his suitcase on the desk.

Sarah sat down awkwardly besides Kaida, which bent to her. "You know him?"

"Um – yeah, he's my guardian."

"Great – then you could get him to go on a date with me right?" Kaida smirked at Sarah's stunned expression. "I mean -" Suddenly a pointer appeared under Kaida's chin and pressed her back towards her place.

"I _do_ respect students that keep in their own square meter, young lady." Jareth interrupted and passed as soon as Kaida bent back, giggling. "Alright students – this year I'll be your Mythology teacher. We'll be reading about things you may have never heard of – you'll be working on essays more often than you have weekends and will be making more tests than would be called fair. You can either like me or despise me…" He reached the desk in front of the class again and leaned on it with two hands. "But it won't make the slightest difference. My name is -" He took some chalk, threw it up the air, turned towards the chalkboard and wrote down his name. "Mr. Amor Tristique -" He turned back to the class, putting down the chalk and pulling his leather gloves tighter around his hands. "No I'm no priest." He picked up the pointer again and pointed it to someone in front of the class. "Yes?"

A guy in the front lowered his hand. "Isn't that something like 'sad love' in Latin?"

"Correct, well done."

"Can we call you Tristique?" A guy asked with a mean sneer.

Jareth raised one eyebrow and went to stand in front of the guys table. He towered over the teen. "_You_ can call me like that – but do that and I'll find a narrow accommodation for my pointer which would be highly unacceptable for you." He turned the pointer once in his hand and slammed it with its tip on the guys chair, whom sat with spread legs. It landed between his legs and the teen jumped back, embarrassed.

Jareth smirked – something that reminded Sarah an awful lot of a goblin – and turned back to pace the room once again. "I believe in a strong hand, discipline and independence. Don't wait for me to come to you to give you the notes if you missed a class, I don't tolerate children skipping class and believe me you don't want to know the consequences. Now." He sat down sideways on his chair, one leg over the armrest and the pointer tapping on his lower leg. "I can see on your faces you're full of questions. Go ahead."

Cautiously some hands went up in the air.

~

Sarah left math proudly – she had always been good at maths. Art class had gone surprisingly well too. She saw Jareth stand in the middle of a group of female teachers, excusing himself when he spotted her. The Goblin King walked over to her. "Run!" He joked and she looked at him strangely. "Well, how did your first three classes go?"

"Well art class and maths were great – but my mythology teacher is an absolute pain!" Sarah giggled as he elbowed her and she noticed that he had noticed she hadn't pulled away from it.

"You must be in an excellent mood."

She shrugged. "I guess I am." When they neared the cafeteria they both got some food and sat down at a table together. Sarah looked down shyly, fiddling with her hands. "I'm sorry I have been so stubborn and ignorant. I really appreciate it that you wanted to become my guardian – I'm really glad I could save my father's possessions."

Jareth lay his hand down on Sarah's, patting it softly and then pulling it back. "Of course Sarah, I'd do anything for you."

"Really? Because I got an essay for mythology -"

"Don't even go there, little girl. And by the way, I'll see to it that you make your housework – you can count on that." Sarah pouted and took a bite from her food.

Jareth took an apple from his plate and held it in his hand. "You know Sarah – with me being your guardian you're actually pretty lucky. At the holidays or homework-less days we could go to the Labyrinth to visit my subjects. We celebrate Christmas hugely, with a ball, dinner and sports. Granted – it's very rarely a white Christmas and we can't eat turkey since my goblins are very fond of birds, but there are plenty of things to do besides that."

Sarah was blushing, looking down. "Jareth could you please stop juggling that apple – people are staring at us."

Jareth blinked and held the apple in his hand. He hadn't even noticed he had been juggling it. People whispered and he pulled back as he noticed he leaned quite much towards Sarah. He took a big bite from the apple and raised. "I need to do a few things before next class starts, I'll be trying to find you before the next bell rings."

The girl nodded and looked down her plate, noticing she was sitting alone now at a table. She looked around for Kaida or one of her friends but they were nowhere to be found. She gave up, not recognising any other face and she reached out for a candy bar.

Suddenly someone grasped it away from her and she looked up with big eyes. Before her was a guy, leaning with one foot on the seat Jareth had just left. He had brown hair and brown eyes and all his clothing was from popular brands. "Hi there, new girl." His voice was lazy but not very low. "Don't you know that candy makes you fat?" He looked her up and down and Sarah blushed, feeling embarrassed.

"Could you give that back to me, please." She said quietly.

"Hey, you hang out with that new mythology teacher right? Is he your boyfriend?" He flapped the candy bar in his hand as he held it by the tip of the wrapping.

"No, he isn't. Can you give me back my candy bar now?"

He looked at the bar and titled his head. "You know, I love this kind of candy – I bet you must have something in return for it."

"That's not f-" She sighed. "Sure – you can have my juice." Sarah grabbed the open bottle and almost pressed it against his face.

"I don't really like your attitude, little girl." The guy hissed. He grasped the bottle, not giving the candy bar. "How about a little juice shower for lunch?" He held the bottle above her head and started to tilt it.

"No stop it, stop it!" She reached out for it but he held it too high. With wide eyes she watched how the juice neared the top of the bottle. "Don't! I'll -"

The bottle tilted, juice splashed over the girl but suddenly a firm hand grasped the bottle and pulled it away. Sarah felt the urge to cry in humiliation and a breath of relief left her lips as she saw Jareth looking down at the boy disdainfully. "And just what do you think you're doing to Miss Williams, Wesley Woodman?"

Wesley looked up at the man and flinched slightly as his expressionless face. "I was just joking – I wasn't going to-"

"Shut up, you're not kidding me, boy." Jareth snapped intriguingly. "Off to the headmaster with you!" He put the bottle down, pulled the candy bar from Wesley's grasp and pushed him into the direction of the exit of the cafeteria. The whole place had gone silent and all eyes were directed on the soaked girl and the new teacher. Jareth pulled off his jacket and wrapped it around her. "I forgot my suitcase, thank god. Come on, let's get you cleaned up." He took the suitcase and the candy bar, stuffing it in his pocket.

Sarah reached out for her tray but Jareth grasped her wrist. "Never mind that, someone else will clean it." He pushed her into her lower back after she had picked up her school bag and they left the cafeteria.

~

The Goblin King guided her into the nearest ladies room, going after her and closing the door after him. He was visibly trying to calm himself. He put down his suitcase and looked how Sarah tried to clean herself with some paper. She looked fragile and hurt and he reached out. "Let me help you." Quietly she handed over the paper and Jareth started to clean off her face carefully. He sighed as he saw her eyes tear up. He held her chin and titled it up. "Hey, silly girl, don't cry because of that brat." He smiled but she just looked down.

"I knew this was a bad idea."

"Come come now. You have faced hardships bigger than this. Don't worry about it." He took some new paper and started to wash the juice out of her hair. "I have planted some herbs in the backyard of which we can make excellent shampoo – it will get your hair back healthy." He looked down at her jacket. "You can borrow my jacket for the day, it's too big for you, but it's better than this." Sarah carefully removed her jacket. The man held it out to her and gave her the paper. "You might want to clean up your neck and chest yourself."

Sarah nodded silently and after she cleaned it she put on Jareth's jacket. "Thank you, Jareth."

"You're very welcome, Sarah mine." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the candy bar. "I have to go." He tapped the candy bar against her nose softly. "Enjoy, and I'll see you at the end of the day." 

The man turned from her but suddenly two arms wrapped around his waist. "Thank you for your support, I really appreciate it."

He tapped her hands softly. "Ego simper pro vobis est, Sara. I'll always be there for you." Jareth stepped from her grasp, took his suitcase and left.


	4. Bullies and Support

Jareth was heading for the car at the end of the day to wait for Sarah when he heard a familiar voice plead to stop. Just a few moments later she ran from the building to the woods, probably going to try to get rid of them their. She held a few books in her hands, her hair – still a bit sticky from the juice – bouncing after her. Three guys ran after her excitedly and Jareth sighed sharply, pressing his lips together. He put his suitcase down and took off after them. With his long legs it wasn't too difficult to keep up and pass them. The two guys he had already passed gasped and he tackled the one in front, throwing him down with a sliding halt.

"One that teases a lass will fall on his ass." Jareth rolled his eyes, grabbed the guy and lifted it.

"Put me down, dude!"

"I'm getting rather tired of this, Wesley. Why don't you get yourself some poultry? Then you can chase chicks for as long as you want." He dropped the guy which stepped out of his reach immediately. "Stay away from Sarah, she had a terrible past involving guys and after recently losing her parents and her little brother I doubt she can take a hormonal creep." The Goblin King pointed to Sarah whom was standing a few meters away. "Apologize, now."

Wesley looked rather harassed and he looked at Jareth with narrowed eyes. He turned and attempted to dash away but a sudden force seemed to hold him. "No no, you're not going anywhere." He pulled his outstretched and closer to himself and Wesley slid back over the ground, trying to grasp anything to make the weird sensation stop. The boy ended up with his neck being held from the back and Jareth pushed him towards Sarah. While Wesley forcing on his knees he mentioned the other two boys over. They neared with their eyes directed to the ground and obeyed as Jareth pointed to the ground. "Now apologize. Properly."

They apologized quietly and Sarah took a step back. Jareth let go of the boy and went to stand in front of the girl. "Now I _do_ recommend to leave Sarah alone, for I will not hesitate to make you crawl like this in the halls. Now be gone!" He snapped and the guys fled.

Jareth mumbled, irritated, as he walked through the forest back to the car. Sarah followed quickly and looked up at him. "Thank you."

"From now on I'll walk you from class to class every day." He stated, his voice sharp.

"Jareth, that really isn't n-"

"No discussion." The man hissed as he threw open his car, throwing his suitcase on the backseat and getting in.

Sarah stepped in, folding her hands on her lap and looking down. "Yes, sir."

The Goblin King sighed and looked at her. "I'm just trying to protect you, Sarah. I don't want you to get hurt _again_." He lifted his hand to pat her arm but she shied away. He sighed, started the engine and exited the school grounds.

~

Later that evening Sarah stepped out of the shower in her usual sweatshirt and loose pants, heading downstairs to the living room while pulling her hair up and keeping it in place with a big hairclip, a few tresses falling around her face. As she walked in she completely ignored Jareth's presence. While heading towards her school bag he followed her every move. She pulled out her new sketchbook and her pencils and flopped down on the sofa . With an unladylike jerk she ripped the first page from the book, crushed it between her hands and lay the wad on the table. With a sigh she started to draw a page full of things, Jareth noticing she avoided anything that came close to fantasy or his world.

Jareth looked to the clock and then back at his paperwork. "Bedtime in ten minutes."

"I'm sixteen – a half past ten is way to early."

"I know you're sixteen. Under the covers in ten minutes, and that's final."

"But I haven't finished my homework yet." Sarah said, now more agitated.

The Goblin King rolled his eyes. "When you're Fae and you don't need sleep,_then_ I'll let you stay up longer."

"This is ridiculous."

He sighed, leaning his head back and pinching the bridge of his nose. "You dropped in halfway the year, only if you're well rested you can catch up properly." He snatched the destroyed paper from the table and raised. "And keep it clean, alright? I have to go look after my kingdom now, be in bed at the proper time."

"Fine." Sarah snapped as she retraced a single line for more times than necessary.

He walked to her and put his hand on her shoulder. "Goodnight, Sarah." Sarah just 'hm'-ed and she felt the hand vanish from her shoulder.

~

Jareth strode through the halls of his castle, greeting a few servants when they passed. He walked into his study and sighed as he saw the pile of papers. Although he wasn't tired, he didn't have the strength to read them all at the moment. The Goblin King walked over to his desk and touched the crystal that rested there. "Pellax, my study, now." He removed his hand from the crystal and went to stand by the window that filled the entire south wall. With his hands clasped behind his back he waited for his counsellor to arrive.

He unfolded the wad of paper in his hands and looked with a smile to the drawing of a Labyrinth along with some goblins. Jareth stretched the paper and put it in one of the drawers of his desk.

In just a matter of seconds a knock sounded from the servant's door and Jareth told him to get in. A lanky blonde stepped in quietly and closed the door behind him. His purple eyes rose to the king, his pointy ears pricking since he knew Jareth was always a quiet talker. "Your Majesty, how can I be of your service?"

"I've had a long and tiring day, Pellax, I request your assistance with the paperwork."

After all the times Pellax had already done this, he knew he'd be writing, reading and talking all night. He sat down on the chair across Jareth's side of the desk. "Most certainly, sir. What would you like to start with?"

"Are there any invitations?"

Pellax searched for the pile he knew he had placed there a few hours ago and lifted them from the desk. "Yes, sire. Your mother's birthday is coming up, as well as the winter ball, Christmas, of course and-"

"Cancel them all – apart from the Christmas festive."

Pellax looked up at his king, still with his back to him. "You, wish to skip your mother's birthday, again, Sire?" He asked carefully.

"Haven't I just said so?"

The counsellor sighed and marked the invitations that wouldn't be attended. For the past thirty years his king had avoided any contact with his mother, as well as his fathers. Although it wasn't his business, he was very curious why Jareth had no desire to see them.

"Now, the building and breaking requests, are there any of which you doubt your upinion?"

Quickly he grabbed the pile on the corner of the desk and read them. "Just two, Your Highness. The crew of the goblin times requested another tower for observation for their articles."

"Don't they already have around ten or so?"

"Well, yes, Sire."

"Declined, then."

"As you wish, Your Highness." Pellax marked the letter and went on to the next. "The second request is about the statue of your family, the gardeners request if they can take it out of their way since the statue is already falling apart and ivy is just encouraging it to break." Pellax prayed Jareth would say the statue had to be renovated, instead of destroyed. The work of art showing his mother, father, him and six sisters in marble was something every servant and guest valued. Apart from Jareth – who would be glad to erase any trace of family from his path.

Jareth turned and looked him in the eye. "What would you do, Pellax?"

The counsellor felt a wave of relief wash over him – his king was hesitating with traces of his own blood, which was highly unusual. "I'd say we should renovate it, everyone is very fond of the royal family and the great resemblance of the statue."

"Very well." Jareth said with an airy tone and a wave of his hand. He walked to the bookcases that covered two walls and looked at the titles. "Any letters from family, acquaintances and others?"

"Yes, Sire, but I request that you should read and answer them. The Christmas ball is in less than a month and I had been asked to help."

"Answer the letters from neighbouring lands and letters from the east and you may go." The Goblin King sat down on his chair and started working on the letters.

After nine hours of answering mail and filling in a few forms Jareth stretched his sore muscles, went to his bookcase and pulled out a few books. With a flick of his hand the paperwork disappeared to the mail department, the candles extinguished and he travelled back to the Above.

When he appeared in his guest room he put the books down and left the room to get something to drink downstairs. He frowned at the lights that hadn't been turned off and didn't find himself surprised when he found Sarah still hanging out on the couch, the sketchbook had fallen to the ground along with some pencils. Her head was tilted in a painful crick and her hips turned in a way that was going to hurt for a few days. The Goblin King rolled his eyes and with a simple wave of his hand she disappeared and was tucked into her bed. He picked up the sketchbook and looked at the sketches of small buildings, various animals and human hands. He shook his head with a small smile and lay it back on the table. He walked over towards the fireplace, which wasn't lit at the moment, and took a picture from the mantelshelf. He had picked up this picture more often since he had been caring for Sarah but his breath was taken from him every time he looked at it.

On the picture was Sarah, smiling brilliantly, her hair flowing around her in a breeze, and she held Toby closely in her arms. Toby had put one hand on her cheek, the other fisting in her hair while he looked at the camera with a similar smile.

He put the picture back down, got something to drink and went upstairs to lie on his bed to rest and think.


	5. The Visitor

Reliance - Ch05by ~[Triever](http://triever.deviantart.com/)

Sarah walked through the halls, head hanging down and books pressed against her chest. Jareth was walking nonchalantly besides her, reading some papers which he held in his hand. He seemed to sense it when Wesley neared and he looked disdainfully as he passed. Just as Jareth thought he would leave her alone Sarah yelped and jumped forward. As he saw her rubbing her butt he turned and his eyes focused on the retreating form of the boy. Sarah started to object but Jareth already called the boy. Wesley fisted his hands, turned and walked back to them.

"Jareth, please don't make a fuss." Sarah whispered but he kept looking at the boy.

"I warned you, boy. Apologize."

With the warning look in Jareth's eyes Wesley knew he'd just have to obey. He grunted and sat down on his knees. The entire hallway fell silent and looked with stunned faces towards the popular guy kneeling for the almost invisible girl. "I'm sorry I pinched you, Sarah."

"Y-you're forgiven." Sarah said a bit uncomfortably and watched how he got up and left. "Please don't do that again, Jareth." She said as she looked up at him. "It's really humiliating."

"That's why I'm making him kneel." He said as he turned and headed for his next class. 

"No I mean it was humiliating for _me_. Please Jareth, don't do it anymore – and don't escort me anymore, I want to try this on my own." She felt how his hand ruffled through her hair and she blushed.

"If you say so, princess." Jareth waved faintly. "I'll see you by the end of the day then. Keep your chin up and come to me if there's trouble."

Sarah looked how he blend into the crowd as the bell rang, still sticking out with his long body.

~

Jareth sat on his leather chair, all the kids working in silence. His feet rested on his desk as he tapped with the pointer, which he held in his right hand, on his left shoulder. A hand raised and he pointed to the girl. "Sir Amor – um…" She frowned.

"Amor is fine, Lisa."

The girl blushed. "Um – okay… So the Fae is a fairy right or is it just an immortal human?"

Some of the other students looked up, mostly girls, curious at the answer. "The Fae is related to the fairy, but Fae's are in human shape. They are most of the times taller than a mortal." He raised and paced the front of the class. "They have pointed ears – no wings – but are pale, have unnatural eye colours and are recognisable by their unnatural beauty."

"You have pointy ears." A girl said.

"You're pale." Another said.

"And unnaturally beautiful!" A girl in the back slapped her hand over her mouth and became bright red.

"Yes! Are you Fae?" One of the less smart girls asked.

Jareth leaned on his pointer and smirked. "Of course I am!" He bowed regally and the girls giggled. "Lord Jareth Amor Tristique, Goblin King and Master of the Labyrinth." The girls started to giggle.

"You don't really look like a Goblin King." One of the boys noticed dryly, annoyed by the giggling girls.

"Oh you'd like to see me in my regal clothing? That's alright, I'll put those on for the day after tomorrow."

One of the bolder and more popular girls raised and walked over, holding an imaginary skirt. She bowed, holding out her hand. "Very pleased to meet you, Lord Jareth Amor Tristique. My name is Pascal Lanewood."

Jareth bowed back, took her hand and pressed a kiss on her knuckles. "The pleasure is all mine." The girl blushed and giggled.

Suddenly there sounded a soft knock and Jareth looked. Slowly the door opened and revealed a sniffling Sarah covered in paint. He straightened, his face going from surprised confused, to shocked and then darkened to a furious mask of rage. "Class dismissed!" Jareth barked and started to pack his suitcase with angry movements.

Sarah felt the paint part for the tears that started to stream down, her gaze directed to the floor. Suddenly a hand holding a tissue dabbed her eyes and dried up her tears. She looked up and a dark red haired boy smiled back at her. His bright blue eyes were filled with compassion and his thin lips stretched in smile below his freckled, snub nose. He threw away the now coloured tissue, took another and cleaned the paint around her mouth.

Suddenly a hand with long fingers rested on his shoulder. "Thank you for your help, Kevin. Could you please go tell the headmaster I'll want to see him tomorrow before the first class starts?"

"Yes, sir." His voice was smooth, soothing. The boy smiled at Sarah after he threw another tissue away and waved. "Hope I'll see you later, and don't worry about those bullies, they'll get what they deserve."

As soon as the boy left, leaving the class empty apart from her and Jareth, she started to sob uncontrollably. Jareth sighed and lay his hand against her cheek. "Oh Sarah, I'm sorry." He didn't care his hand was now covered in bright yellow paint. "Let's go to home, now. Those boys don't deserve to face you again. Come on." Gently he turned her, they walked through the silent halls, got into the car after Jareth pulled out his jacket to stop most of the paint from getting on the seats. He drove away quickly, leaving Sarah's nightmare behind them.

~

Jareth had put Sarah into the bath, telling her to pull off her clothes and pull on a bathing suit. As he re-entered the room Sarah was dressed in a bathing suit along with a boy's boxers. He filled the bath with a hot water temperature but not too hot to make her hurt. The Goblin King pulled up his sleeves, throwing a pile of clean washing cloths on the foot of the bath and lots of soap. He held out his hand and smiled softly at Sarah. He had never seen anyone this miserable. The corners of her mouth were pointed down, her eyes dull, her eyebrows sagged and her back and neck as curved as the joints allowed. Jareth took a cloth, dipped it in the water and started to clean the paint. Since it had been around half an hour the paint had been drying and he had to scrub until her skin was red. Meanwhile Jareth was murmuring comfortingly to her.

When he cleaned her cheek he saw the tears were still streaming down her cheeks. "I should've never make you go to high school. I was trying so hard to make you happy – I never expected those kids these days would be so vicious. It's bloody unbelievable. Not even my goblins are this bad."

They kept scrubbing and washing until the sun was set. Jareth was now sitting with his back against the wall, the door to the bathroom on his left. He had left Sarah so she could wrap herself in the most comfortable and softest clothes, dry her now clean hair and calm herself.

The door opened and he looked up. She still looked incredibly miserable. Suddenly she dropped to her knees besides him and started to cry. "Sarah, precious!" He whispered and quickly but carefully collected her in his arms. She buried her face in his shirt, her hands fisting in them. He wrapped his arms around her trembling form and rested his cheek on the crown of her head.

Sarah had never thought she'd find this much comfort in one person. And Jareth, nonetheless. He had done so much for her already, unlike other guys he wasn't just looking at her because he wanted to have her. He talked to her with understanding, sometimes he was strict but it was for her own good, or something like that. Besides, he comforted her when she was miserable.

And not to forget, he saved her life.

At that very moment Sarah decided that Jareth, whom would be around for a while, probably was the only person she could trust. If he'd betray her one day, it would be her fault for trusting him, but there was no other choice. If the other years of high school would go the same she needed someone that could help her.

"You know what? I'm going to take you to the Labyrinth this weekend. We'll make a trip through my grounds and I'll let you visit your friends." Jareth murmured quietly while stroking her back comfortingly.

Sarah pulled back and looked to him through blurry eyes. "Really?"

"Yes, but you have to be done with your homework, and -" Jareth saw her face sadden, guessing she thought she would be in all day anyway. "I don't want you to complain when you're being treated like a real princess. Dresses, chambers, food and everything else."

Sarah's face lit up and she hugged him. "Thank you, Jareth."

"Only giving you what you deserve, Sarah. Now." He pushed her back and rose, helping her up. "Make your homework." He smirked and went downstairs.

~

Jareth softly knocked on Sarah's room, hard enough to hear but not hard enough to wake her up. He heard Sarah inviting him in and he entered the room. She was bent over at her desk, tapping her brow with her pencil. "Hey Sarah, I have to leave now, keep in mind you need to go to bed in ten minutes, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah." Sarah muttered, obviously paying no attention.

"Did you hear me?" Humour coloured his voice.

"Yeah, you said you were leaving."

"And…?"

"And I have to go to bed in ten minutes. I heard you, okay?"

He went to stand behind her and looked down at the paper. "How's your essay going?"

"Mythology is not my strongest quality." She snapped, obviously ticked off as she once again erased almost everything on the previously half filled page.

"It's due next Monday, why don't you make it in the weekend? I know for sure there are plenty of living beings in my Labyrinth that would love to help you." He ruffled through her hair. "Ten minutes – _in bed._ Yesterday I found you laying on the couch around seven in the morning."

"M'kay." Sarah said, shove the paper away and raised. "See you in the morning." She raised a hand to wave at him in a careless manner, but when she threw her hand up she felt Jareth grabbing it. His lips touched her knuckles and when Sarah turned swiftly he was already gone. She blushed and turned around angry. When she heard him chuckling through the air she lolled and headed for her closet. "Vision off, Jareth! I'm gonna change!" She called warningly, knowing he could hear her at all times. Another chuckle drifted through the room like wind but then it was completely silent.

~

Jareth walked through the Escher down the stairs that led him to the throne room, still wearing a smile on his face. She had been furious – and a bit scared – when she found out he had been watching her once while she was changing. Her hand had made his cheek painfully clear she didn't appreciate it one bit. The Goblin King wondered if that childish nature of Sarah would wear off when she'd grow older. He certainly didn't hope so. The most special thing about Sarah was her ability to be childish _with_ an adult touch to it. She was responsible, but whiny, didn't give up but pouted on the way. It was something he hadn't seen earlier in any other woman. The women in his world were already 'adult' on their eighth birthday, and they would rather use violence instead of allowing the smallest amount of childishness when they had to make a decision. 

As he reached the bottom of the stairs, looking from down his feet – to make sure he didn't trip over one of the goblins – up into the room.

He froze.

Sitting in his throne was a red haired woman. Her full lips were parted underneath her straight nose and her cat-like blue eyes pierced through his. She raised gracefully, her dark blue satin dress falling back around her body properly. Jareth looked at the low v-cut, the cut at her side going up all the way until it reached her hips, the thin straps and the great amount of glitters decorating it from her shoulders until the ground. The woman smiled a gorgeous smile and walked over to him. Her hands linked behind his neck as she tilted her leg against his.

"Hello, Your Majesty."


	6. Girl VS Fae

"Sarah, we're having a guest tonight, alright?" Jareth announced as he walked down the stairs. He walked into the kitchen but didn't find her there. "Sarah, where are you?" He made a round around the house and after he had every room he poked his head out the back door. The Goblin King pushed the door open all the way and watched Sarah sitting, curled up, under the big tree in the back of the garden. "Sarah, what are you doing there?" Jareth closed the door behind him and walked in a quick pace towards her, cold rain beating down on him. "Sarah Linda Williams – you hear me?" He pulled out the earphones which were propped into her ears.

"Hey!" Sarah jumped and looked up at him. "Um, hi."

"Good afternoon, miss Williams. I'd like to inform you we'll be having a formal quest for dinner this very night."

The girl jumped up and looked at him with hurt puppy eyes. "B-but… You promised we would make our own pizza!"

"Look Sarah, I had a visitor last night -"

"So you break your promise because someone decided to invite himself for dinner today? I-"

"She."

"What?" Sarah blinked. She had never thought about Jareth paying attention to women. The girl leaned back, trying to appear indifferent. "Fine – you do whatever you want then, I'll make the pizza by myself." She pushed herself from the tree and walked back inside.

Jareth let out a deep sigh and crossed his arms, leaning back against the tree. His eyebrows knitted together as he looked at the back door which was now most undoubtedly closed after she had thrown it shut firmly. 

-

Sarah stretched the pizza dough, the tip of her tongue pressed to her upper lip as she rolled up the outer circle of the dough. Unconscious of the fact she had flour all over her hands she rubbed her cheek once and then started to cut the vegetables.

"Sarah our guest is here."

She rolled her eyes blowing a stray tress from her face. "Our." She mumbled. As the girl heard the door of the kitchen open she didn't even turn around to greet her.

The Goblin King leaned against the door opening, the red haired woman standing behind him, wearing a long black dress that hugged her curves and created a quite indecent cleavage. "Are you going to say hi or what?"

"What." She retorted.

Jareth's eyes narrowed. "You want to finish and eat that pizza or should I throw it away?" He watched how she leaned her head back with a sigh and turned around. His eyebrows rose as he saw that even though she was wearing a black baggy sweatpants and a red vest, the top she wore underneath was a lot more hugging. Her hair was pulled up in a messy pony tail with a few strands hanging down until her lips and her neck. On her right cheek was flour smudged which made the picture even better.

"Hello, my name is Sarah, you must be Meretrice?"

"Sarah!" Jareth snarled and even though she seemed to be unaffected, he saw fear flashing in her eyes. The woman behind him didn't seem to get it. "Please make yourself at home in the living room, Eglantina. I'll get us something to drink." She smiled sweetly at him, not looking back at the girl and turned around.

The Goblin King walked over to Sarah, whom had already turned back. He took one of the slices tomato and shoved it into his mouth. He leaned close to her ear, noticing she was getting distressed because she suddenly started to cut the tomatoes a lot faster. "Sarah, if you treat our guest like that again tonight we won't be going to the Labyrinth this weekend." He took another one and watched her dexterous slicing. "What's with you Sarah, why are you so adverse to her?" For a few moments it was silent and he saw how her eyes were flashing in panic as he used his low voice. "Is she a threat? Didn't expect me to have contact with other women, hmm?" Her eyes started to shine with unshed tears as he stepped closer, his chest now touching her shoulder. She had to learn to behave around people of his world or she would be spit upon if she visited. "If you won't behave like the lady you are, I'll have to punish you."

Her hand slipped then, and the knife she held sliced through the tip of her finger. She dropped the knife, her hands now shaking and her knees weak.

Jareth sighed, walked to the other side of the kitchen and took a band aid. He walked back to her, went to stand behind her and carefully wrapped it around the tip of her finger. The man pressed a quick kiss on it and then walked out of the room.

-

Jareth walked into the kitchen with an empty bottle of wine and put it on the counter. He looked at Sarah sitting in the corner of the room, looking rather alone. "Hello Sarah, did you already finish your homework?"

"Did you?" She mumbled.

"I apologize for earlier, precious."

"Good."

Jareth cringed, looked down at the pizza and took a slice. "I know you probably don't want this, but you can sit with us if you like."

"Maybe – will her clothes still be on when you get back?" She asked as she shoved back the chair, bumping the back into his hips and then throwing away the last three slices. She turned to look at him and leaned against the counter. Sarah kept glaring at him for a few seconds and raised one eyebrow.

Suddenly a smile spread on his face. "I would really appreciate it if you would sit with us. She's quite annoying."

Sarah smiled back and pushed herself from the counter. "Fine, but I'm getting a shower first."

"I'll see you in a few minutes then." He turned and walked to the door, but before he exited he turned his head. "Oh and Sarah, I still expect you to behave. Be a brat and we won't be going this weekend."

Her eyebrows pulled together in a frown and she walked past him, going upstairs to take a shower.

-

"Of course not, I'm perfectly aware that there are ancient laws against those kind of things. You really needn't to worry." Jareth swirled the dark red wine in his glass starting to feel the urge to slip something stronger into the drink.

"But I am worrying. Your realm is powerful, has a great position in court and is favoured by many. Why are you not being careful?"

"I am being careful, Eglantina. I told you that. Why else do you think I've been toiling through petitions, books and ancient scrolls?"

With a warning glint in his eyes that she completely ignored she went to sit closer beside him and looked at him through her thick lashes. "Why so much trouble – it could be much easier. It would be so much better for your realm. And not only that-"

"I know it's not only that!" He snarled in a moment of frustration. He cleared his throat as she backed away and he put his wineglass down. "Forgive me, I didn't mean to raise my voice. I'm just a little bit tired. But really, you needn't to worry about my kingdom, but that you for the concern. Could I offer you something to eat?"

"No, thank you." She said with a polite smile and took a small sip from her wine.

"Jar – we're almost out of chocolate."

With a smile the Goblin King turned around. "You'll have to got to the gr-" He fell silent as he saw her. She was wearing a red fluffy robe, tied tightly around her hips, and black flipflops. Her hair tumbled down in raven twirls, partially held up by a misplaced but charming hairclip. She was nibbling on a piece of chocolate and she licked her lips after she swallowed it.

"Yeah yeah, I get it – need to loose al the weight that goes to my ass." She shuffled to the vacant couch and flopped down. "Anyone?" She held out the chocolate to Jareth and not so subtly ignored the woman. Jareth reached out but she pulled it back at the last second and stuffed it into her mouth. "Now that I think about it – I don't feel like sharing." She smiled and looked at Jareth mischievously.

"Such brutality – and to a king too." Eglantina said disdainfully.

"Not to worry, Eglantina, it's her nature." He said just as playful. He winked at Sarah as he lifted the wineglass to his face. "Besides – she's practically family. You didn't seem to mind too much that I was a king a few days ago." He took a sip and even though he hadn't seen it with his eyes, he definitely sensed the change in emotion in the room. Jealousy wasn't one of the most pleasant moods to sense – it gave him a tingling feeling at the back of his neck.

"I'm not just talking about behaviour, she's obviously spoiled too."

"Am not. I didn't even get to keep my puppy." Sarah pouted and took another piece of chocolate.

"You were extremely depressed and had been in your room for weeks – the poor creature was tearing my trousers to bits as it begged me to take a walk with him." He saw her regret and he rolled his eyes. "Perhaps we'll get you a new one in time. But not any time soon."

"There you go spoiling her again."

Sarah frowned and looked at the woman with narrowed eyes. "Excuse me, but since when did you ever get to say something about me? I don't even know you."

Eglantina narrowed her eyes at her. "I was talking to the king, child, not to you."

"Don't talk like I'm not here and I'm not a child!"

"Oh my, raising your voice are you? What a childish thing to do. You should watch your manners, Lisa."

"It's Sarah!" She snarled as she jumped up. "And why should I watch my manners? You're the one who's got her boobs almost falling out of her dress!"

Eglantina put a hand over the top of her dress and jumped up as well. "Why, you little-!"

Jareth launched up as he saw the glow starting to form at Eglantina's hand and he gripped both women's wrists. "Enough already! I'm saying this now and I'm saying it once – ladies keep their noses out of other's business and they don't mess with the upbringing of one that's not yours." Sarah stuck out her tongue and the hand around her wrist tightened, making her flinch. "And you, young lady. We won't be going this weekend, instead you are going to study your butt off on an extra essay you'll be making about Egyptian myths. It will be due on Monday morning. Fifteen pages." He turned back to the woman. "And how dare you to attempt to use magic on Sarah. Be gone and the next time I catch you around her you'll be gently escorted to the middle of the Labyrinth to find your way out. Am I clear?" He asked, making very clear she wouldn't be escorted gently. Both women looked down and nodded silently. He let go of Eglantine and with a flick of his wrist she disappeared. As he let go of Sarah he snatched the chocolate from her hand and pointed up the stairs. "Off to bed. Right now."

"Fine." She turned from him and he saw her rummaging in the pocket of her robe.

"Hold your horses!" He snorted, walked towards her and ripped more chocolate from her hands. "I'll take that. And if I catch you again with this kind of ration it will be no more chocolate for a while."

"But I'm so hungry…" She whined and went for the stairs as he pushed against her lower back.

"And lights out in ten minutes, I'm going back to the Labyrinth." He called after her and heard a soft mumble.


	7. Resist Your Instincts For The Girl You Love

Jareth had barely enough energy to lift himself back to the Above and as he finally managed to stand back up after falling into the chair which he thankfully landed in front of he rubbed his face and used the last scrap of magic to conjure a small mixture that would give him enough energy to last a few more minutes. With the flexibility of a seventy year old man he hoisted himself up the stairs and went to his room to fling himself onto the bed.

-

Mismatched eyes spread wide open. With the speed of a lightning bolt he was wide awake and standing in the doorway. Even though his sudden adrenaline shot he still was hazy from sleep and the lack of rest. His head turned as he predatorily sniffed the air, his eyes naturally dilating as a sharp scent pierced his nose. A wild growl left his throat as he moved into the hallway, tracking the scent like a well trained drug dog.

Being Fae and King of the Goblins had brought him quite a few skills, one of which he wasn't too fond of and which had got him in trouble earlier in his long life. And that one detrimental skill was currently thrusting five small dents into Sarah's bedroom door. His nose traced the line of the doorpost the veins on the back of his hand swelling as his primal instinct took over. As his hand moved down to the handle a sharp nudge in his head made him think of what he was doing at the moment. He was about to lunge into the private chambers of the girl who he was trying to gain trust from, in the early morning hours – probably with a crazed look on his face. His nostrils flared at the scent but his mind resisted with all his might. He squeezed his eyes closed and bared his teeth, feeling his pupils react to the desire running through his veins and longing hammering in his arms.

He struggled for a while, trying to think of something else – anything that wasn't the scent of the girl he loved – he passed things like his throne, his subjects, school, toast, even spinach – something he had always been allergic to. Nothing seemed to help.

Suddenly he heard a soft groan behind the door, followed by soft rummaging and footsteps across the room, after that he heard the soft squeak of the window opening. Then he heard a gasp followed by a soft curse and another – louder – groan.

She had noticed.

That meant it already was too late – she'd need to fix this by herself or be confident enough to trust him enough with this matter to ask him for help. Also he needed to be on his guard today. Not only for his race and other magical beings, but also for the human race, since – as he had known her entire lifetime – she was no ordinary girl.

With some internal struggle he silently walked towards his room, collected himself and walked into the hallway with deliberately louder footsteps. Casually he knocked on her door. "Sarah, wake up. Time to prepare for school."

"J-Jareth?"

The slight tremble in her voice didn't go unnoticed by the man and he went on just as casually. "What is it?"

"I'm having a really bad stomach ache, can I please stay home for today?"

Jareth frowned. Most certainly she couldn't stay at home – he wouldn't be able to watch over her there – besides, he had to play dumb, she would either trust him with the truth or be strong and go nonetheless. "Now now, can't miss school for a full day just because of something as puny as a bellyache can we? Be down in twenty minutes, I'll make you breakfast." As he turned and walked down the stairs he heard her call for him but he ignored it. Trust or the burden.

About ten minutes later he was making her some eggs and toast when his head started to pound ridiculously intense. His vision blurred for a moment. The moment he could see again Sarah entered with her uniform on and as soon as her eyes fell on him she looked down and shied away. Jareth looked down and noticed he was still wearing his Underground attire, he knew that it was showing off just a bit too much for her to be comfortable and with a flick of his fingers – his head screaming in demur – he changed to his teachers outfit.

"Are you alright? You're so pale." Sarah asked with a slight frown and filled a glass with water.

"It's nothing – I've had a long night, that's all."

"But you said you never needed sleep – unless you used a lot of magic. Is something going on in the Underground?" The Goblin King didn't reply on purpose and served her breakfast in silence. "There is – isn't there?"

He rubbed his face and sighed. "Sarah…"

"Why won't you tell me? Is it about me? Is something wrong with my fr-"

"Sarah!" He snapped and saw her flinch. "Please. Not now."

She curled up in her chair, picking at her food. "Yes, your majesty."

He sighed deeply and rested a hand on top of her head, trying to ignore her scent. This was going to be a really long and tiring week. "Don't call me that. Now eat." Jareth moved towards the windows on the other side of the kitchen and gazed out. He blinked and leaned closer to the window. "What the… What's this?"

Sarah looked up, swallowing a bite of her egg and smiled. "It's snowing. Have you never seen snow before?" The look of curiosity on his face said more than enough. She ate the rest of her breakfast, did the dishes and went to stand beside him. "I used to play in the snow with Toby for hours." She said with a sad smile on her face and felt the sudden urge to turn away and go back to bed.

However, the arm that wrapped around her stopped her. His hand gently rested on her shoulder and pulled her slightly closer. With a slight tremble in her breath she sighed and went on. "We used to lie down in the snow and shape angels – Toby always drew faces on them. We made snowmen too, every year you could see our family standing on the side of the road, with cut carrot noses. And when they started to melt we'd act like we were actually melting behind it – Merlin always ate our noses and we always acted like we actually couldn't smell anymore. It made Karen crazy." She smiled but stepped closer to Jareth finding support in the arm wrapped around her. "I miss them so much." The girl sighed and looked out how the snow was starting to cover the scene.

"Would you like to pay a visit to the graveyard this afternoon?"

Sarah hiccupped and shook her head violently. "No – if I go there'll just be pain. I wouldn't be able to stand the sight of the two big stones and the single small one."

Jareth moved behind her and wrapped both arms around her, rocking her slowly. "Don't cry, Sarah." She sniffed and turned in his arms, pressing her face against his chest. 

She exhaled deeply, calming herself. "Thank you. Let's go to school." A sad smile stretched on her lips. He smiled back, wiped a tear from her cheek and turned from her.

-

Jareth changed gears as he carefully drove to school. The road had become slippery because of the snow – not to mention the tiny swirls were now, instead of floating lazily, raging through the sky like the angered inhabitants of a beehive. It was hard to see what was in front of him and as they were getting closer to school there were students crossing the streets imprudently. Sarah had calmed down but was shifting in her seat strangely. "Are you nervous, Sarah?"

She looked at him and then back ahead quickly. "N-no I'm fine." She said as she shifted again.

He smiled. "What's with you then?"

"I'm just feeling odd."

"Still having that bellyache?"

Sarah blushed and looked through the window on her side. "Um… Yea." The car stopped as they were waiting in front of the traffic lights about a mile from her school. Sarah screamed as suddenly a guy pressed his face against the window and pulled faces. Sarah hit the window with a scowl. "Wesley, you jerk!"

He grinned and ran across the street, a car skidding as he had to move out of the way to prevent itself from hitting the boy.

Jareth frowned and sped up as the light turned green. He deliberately drove the last mile and just before Wesley's feet he turned onto the parking lot. They boy jumped back, slipping and falling on his ass. A satisfied smile stretched across his face and heard Sarah giggle. Smoothly he turned into a spot and turned off the engine. "Chin up Sarah, it will be a short day for you. Your last class end at ten past two. I have one more class after that, do you want to wait for me or are you just going to walk?" He unbuckled himself, grabbed his stuff and stepped out, throwing the door closed and locking it after Sarah stepped out.

"Um, I'll just wait. I have to get information from the library to finish my essay about Egyptian myths anyways." She said with a pout, hoping he'd say she didn't have to do it after all.

She had no such luck.

"Indeed, you do." A sharp grin spread on his face as they walked inside, snow falling in Jareth's hair and for some reason not melting. She ruffled through his hair, the snow jumping off his hair and floating down like Styrofoam. Sarah giggled as he pulled a face and shook his head, even more Q-tips falling down his shoulders. "Well, I'll see you at eleven o'clock, young lady. Don't be late because we're going to continue with Greek myths. And you better listen carefully because you'll be getting a test next week."

Sarah stuck out her tongue and walked to class.

-

Jareth lounged in his chair lazily, one leg thrown over the arm rest and his arms lying crossed over his chest. A piece of paper was resting on his face as his head leant back. Everyone was working in silence.

"Professor?"

"M-hm?"

"Um – I'm finished."

"Hm. Could you copy these for me then?" He took the paper off his face and handed the student in front of him a small pile of papers. "It's a summary for the things you have to know for next week's test. Make thirty." The student left and Jareth stretched lazily. He rose and started to walk through the class, students quickly hiding their mobile phones and pretending to be reading carefully. "Linda, Jake, Wesley, Nora, Ian, Pascal and Kimberly, leave it on my desk on your way out – thank you very much." Their groaned, pulled their devices out again and shuffled to the desk, leaving them there. Wesley was the only one just pretending to work. "Come come now, Wesley. I saw you doing it, you have five seconds." The boy growled and rose, almost knocking over his chair and put his cell phone on the desk. "The seven of you will be writing thirty pages about baking cookies."

"What kind of punishment is that?" Nora asked, pissed.

"A punishment which will have you thinking about using your cell phone in my class again. Hand it in tomorrow morning."

"What? Are you crazy?" Ian objected as he dropped himself back into his chair.

"I might be. What will you be doing about it?" He asked with a smirk and continued with his walk through the class. "Ah, thank you Kevin." The Goblin King took the papers from the teen and stapled it with the movements of someone who had done it for decades. He handed them out in silence, collected the cell phones and put them in his briefcase so they wouldn't take them back as the bell rang.

As soon as the students were out the next group walked in. And by the now too familiar sharp scent he knew Sarah was among them. "Alright class, take your seats and go to page 209."


	8. A Day Off

Sarah dragged herself to math class. She felt like something was dragging her back with all force – whispering in her ear there were so much more things to do that were fun. As she stepped into the classroom she looked around in surprise. It was completely empty. Not even the nerds were in.

"Sarah, what are you doing?"

The girl jumped and swirled around, seeing Kaida hanging against the doorpost. "No one has class anymore – they're afraid too much snow will fall so everyone can go home. We're having a snowball battle outside – you joining?"

Sarah felt an incredible relief she didn't have to go to class – but a snowball fight would only result in her brain being bashed in by Wesley. "So, I'm going home. Thanks for the invite though." She smiled. She hadn't spoken with Kaida and the others in a few weeks but neither of them were upset about it. Kaida had been busy with her dancing career and Sarah preferred to be alone. She waved Kaida goodbye and she waved back, disappearing from sight.

The girl sighed and went to her locker, quickly putting on her jacket and trying to avoid the guys that tried to take her with them to join the fight outside. She went through the back door, scanning the area for guys with bad intentions. When she didn't spot any she stepped outside and quickly made her way home. Even before she left the parking lot a snowball hit her on the back of her head. She turned around, afraid a whole ambush would be waiting behind the cars.

However, Jareth was the only one, and he was leaning against his very own black Acura NSX, juggling a snowball in his hand. "Oh Jareth – you…!" She rolled her eyes when he just smirked and she walked towards him.

"Need a ride, precious?" He said with a teasing smile, throwing the snowball to the ground. "I'd like to get to know these customs you have involving snow. Care to show me?"

Sarah smiled happily – she loved this time of the year and was glad that Jareth wanted to share it with her, since she lost the family she used to do it with. "If you give me a ride."

"Well get in then." He opened the door, stepped in and started the motor. Sarah sat down and let out a deep sigh. The Goblin King drove off the parking lot in silence. "So. Where do we go?"

"Um. The market square, you know, down the street at the grocery store."

"Wouldn't you like to change first? It will get cold today."

"Sure."

-

Jareth had parked the car near the market square, it had taken them less than ten minutes to get there and there were no other students in sight yet. It was very quiet since everyone that didn't work at the high school or was a student there would be working for a few more hours. Ahead there was a rectangle shaped tent with plastic walls and windows and in front of it a big platform with a fence around it. There was no one on the platform but inside he saw about two people behind a counter and three people drinking something on a table.

"Well don't you just stand there, come on." Sarah said with a big smile and tugged on his arm. Jareth let her pull him inside and he looked around. It was warm inside, the cheap tables and chairs having a certain mortal charm. The floor was made of something that looked like wood but it didn't have any relief and in the corner he saw the edge of it was crumpled and flat. The counter was made of real wood, behind it were two people and a very big closet in which were shoes that had something screwed on the soles.

Due to his investigation of the area he had missed Sarah getting two pair of the weird shoes and she urged him to pay. After he did she handed him the shoes and walked back outside. She pulled off her normal shoes and put the others on, closing the weird clasps and waited for him to do the same. He copied her movements and shifted his feet from one side to the other, looking at it and wondering how he'd be able to walk on this. "I fail to get the point of these."

"They're skates. Come on." She rose and walked towards an opening in the fence that led to the platform. Jareth did as she told and as soon as he stepped on it his foot slipped and he could catch himself just in time before he'd actually fall. Sarah giggled and helped him to balance. "Are you alright? It's ice, so it's slippery."

"What's the fun of this? Just walking around and watch the other fall?" He frowned and concentrated on keeping his balance.

"No no, with the skates you can glide over the ice. It's a bit like dancing. Here I'll help you." She took his hands and looked down. "Alright, keep your feet on the ice, don't lift them and push yourself away with one foot." Slowly she pushed herself back and Jareth pushed with one foot. He wobbled but thanks to Sarah he could keep his balance. The hold on her hands tightened slightly, but when she pushed back again it went smoother. After trying a few times she let go of one of his hands. She went to his side and tugged him along. He wobbled, nearly fell, but could stabilise on time. They went a few rounds before Sarah suddenly let go and pushed herself away from him.

Jareth tried to push himself away with more effort and he looked up at Sarah, smiling. She smiled back and started skating freely. After a few minutes they gathered at one of the edges of the platform. "Let's get some hot chocolate." She leant over the edge and mentioned her order to one of the girls behind the bar. She nodded and in less than a minute the girl handed them two cups of hot chocolate. Jareth thanked her politely and paid, after then he gently blew and took a sip he licked his lips, satisfied at the taste of the drink. Sarah let out a delighted 'hmm' and wrapped her gloveless hands around the cup.

The Goblin King looked around quietly, taking another sip. Suddenly his foot slipped and his heart sped up. He was too late to grab the fence and he let out an instinctive curse. The plastic cup spilled its contents all over his coat and his tailbone and the back of his head smacked against the ice painfully. He groaned and rubbed the back of his head.

The girl gasped and knelt besides him. "Oh god! Are you alright?" She put her hand on his arm, worry written all over her face.

"I'm quite alright. That is going to bloody hurt in a few minutes." He sat up straight, then pulled himself up and smiled sheepishly as he rubbed his tailbone.

Sarah chuckled and looked up at him. "I suppose you don't want some ice to hold against it?"

"Definitely not, that treacherous water is what got me injured like this." He looked down at the ice and threw his cup in a nearby bin. "It's a pity that the hot chocolate spilled over my coat though. I'm quite fond of it."

"I'm pretty sure we can wash it out. Here, have mine." She handed him the cut and leant against the fence. Jareth smiled and sipped the drink fondly. "Let me think – what to do next. There isn't enough snow to build a snowman yet – not to make snow angels either. Hmmm…" Suddenly a smile broke on her face. "Oh, of course! In two weeks it'll be Christmas. We could buy things to decorate and presents for Christmas eve!"

The man smiled at her sudden excitement and he titled his head. "Then shopping it is. Shall we go and grab some lunch first?" Sarah's stomach groaned in acceptance and her cheeks coloured. He skated towards the gate and stepped off the ice platform, politely helping Sarah step off. He took the last sip from his drink, threw the cup away and together they walked back towards the tent to get their shoes.

-

Jareth looked around the garden centre, at the thousands of different Christmas decorations. Sarah's eyes shone and she walked from one colour collection to another. "Well? Which colour would you like?"

She wrapped one arm around his and pulled him with her. Jareth was surprised by the action and all of sudden, being this near to her, he caught her scent again. His teeth gnashed together and he tried to focus on where she was bringing him. They ended up in an isle where hundreds of Christmas balls were winking at him in the light. There were about thirty colours, making him look around in awe. "We could choose a couple of colours. What do you think?"

"What does it matter? It's your choice."

"Come on!" She whined and pouted. "I want you to be part of this."

The Goblin King fixed his gaze on the pouting girl, eyes slightly widened. "Y-you do?"

"Of course! Now come on – tell me!"

He looked around. "Alright then… What about gold, blue, red and green?"

"Perfect!"

After then had collected everything to hang in a tree they started looking for a tree. It didn't take them long, they both pointed at the same tree the first time. As they watched it a boy walked towards them. "Hi professor, hi Sarah. Can I help you?" As Sarah looked up to him she instantly recognised him. The boy that had comforted her when she had been painted by a couple of guys.

"Well hello, Kevin. I didn't know you worked here?" Jareth said with a smile.

"Yea, my dad owns this place. I'm getting paid for helping around here. That way I can save money for a big aquarium in my room." He turned to Sarah. "How are you, Sarah? Are they still bullying you?"

"Not as much as they did in the beginning."

"I thought so. It has nothing to do with you personally, they just pick on the new ones. Ever since they arrived at this school." He said with a frown. Suddenly his face lightened up. "Oh yea, we got all this stuff two weeks ago. One of the products were sold out after the first day, but I saved one for you, I thought you would like it." He pointed to the tree. "Do you want this one." Both Sarah and Jareth nodded and skilfully he put the tree in a net, threw it over his shoulder and mentioned to follow.

They did as they were told and waited by a door as Kevin went into an office. After a minute he came back with an object in a plastic bag. He smiled at the curious tilt of Sarah's head and pulled the object out of the bag. In his hand he held an owl statue, a red ribbon wrapped around it. "It's a bit soon, but Merry Christmas, Sarah."

With wide eyes Sarah took the statue from his hands and looked closely at it. "Wow, Kevin." She looked up at him. "Thank you, it's beautiful. Why did you think this was something for me?"

"I don't know actually – it just felt like it belonged to you." Kevin said with a smile, a slight blush on his cheeks. He cleared his throat and lifted the tree back on his shoulder. "Anything else I can help you with?"

Jareth looked at Sarah, whom looked back questioningly. "No, I believe we've got everything now."

"Alright, I'll carry the tree to the pay desk for you."

-

"Thank you for your help, Kevin. And for Sarah's beautiful present." Jareth said with a smile as he ruffled through Sarah's hair.

Kevin grinned at Sarah's annoyed face as she corrected her hair. "Always happy to help. And to give. Happy holidays and I'll see you later." He waved vaguely, turned and left with his hands stuffed in his pockets.

Jareth grabbed the tree hand pulled it over his shoulder. "Let's go home and decorate this thing." The girl chuckled as she carried the balls and other decorations. "What so funny?"

"It's nothing. Come on, let's go."

-

Sarah never had more fun in her life. Around Jareth's neck was a full red Christmas garland, hanging down his back and the star that would be on the top of the tree stuck in his boot. Sarah had two Christmas balls hanging down her neckline and was balancing on the armrest of the couch. She lay the last part of the small electric lights down on the branches and exactly at that moment she lost her balance. She yelped, felt a hand fist in the back of her shirt and was yanked back, landing in Jareth's arms, one of them around her knees and one supporting her back. One of the Christmas balls on her neckline dropped to the floor where it shattered. "Aw." Sarah pouted and looked up at Jareth whom was looking down at her with dark eyes. Jareth whom was looking down at her with dark eyes. The fact that now both pupils were dilated scared her, it made him look hungry and it reminded her of the days she had been imprisoned. The only difference was that she saw coming what would happen to her back then. With Jareth, the unknown scared her more than the men that had used her in the past. His looks were alien - and then she reminded herself. Jareth wasn't like the other guys, he was Fae.

Yet somehow the fear wasn't as great as it had been and she knew why. After losing pretty much everything in a short part of her life she treasured every piece that was left. Naturally, the biggest part was the Labyrinth and the smallest part from that piece was Jareth.

Of course he would have never been the first thing on her mind to go back to to soothe her loss. But maybe because of that fact his resque action was that much more meaningful, had he not watched her that night, she could have been killed, or worse: imprisoned again to be used whenever a guy liked to use her. Not to mention, he had let her keep everything and had done so much to get her back on the horse. He had sacrificed his leisure moments, sleep and energy to support her - even though he was Royalty and a powerful magical king. Something she forgot every now and then. Now, he was still doing anything to make her feel better.

But back to the matter at hand, it now seemed like he wanted to claim something for his efforts in return. And that feeling made her feel nauseous and incredibly frightened. The way his nostrils flared made it seem like he actually smelled her.

Suddenly she stiffened and her eyes widened. She looked forward into the distances as it hit her. Goblin, Fae, magical? What if he could truly smell her? Not her as a person - but her as a woman which she now had became? Not that she believed you were a woman as soon as you got your period, but how did the people from his world think about this? Often in the Medieval days - which she related the Labyrinth to - a girl became a woman around her sixteenth birtday - then guys could ask her to marry them, no matter the age of the may-be-groom. More important - could other beings smell her too? Or was it just Jareth because he was around so often?

As she looked up at him she swallowed, his hands burning through her clothes. He looked rather flustered and her cheeks brightened. She had to do something to break the moment and snap him out of it, shaking him out of that trance and distracting him.

Her body actually gave her a good reason, as it growled loudly like some kind of famnished cave-monster. She looked away from him and put her hands on her belly. "Geez, I'm hungry. When are we having dinner?"

The Goblin King truly did snap out of it then, his hands cooled, his blue eye focused again and his nostrils relaxed, but only a little bit. He put her down and looked on the clock on the wall. "It's almost six already, I'll go and make dinner, you finish the tree and make sure you don't fall down." He ruffled her hair and turned from her, walking to the kitchen.

The girl let out a deep sigh of relief and turned to the tree.

-

The next day they had made snowmen and snowangels after school, had made paninis together and were now lounging in the living room. Jareth was preparing next week's classes and Sarah was hanging upside down on the other end of the couch, nibbling on a few slices of a peach.

The Goblin King looked down at her and then back to his papers. "Sarah you're making a mess."

"Sorry."

"This is your last peach by the way."

Sarah sat up, pouting, Jareth grinding his teeth to keep hiself from inhaling her scent and watching how she ate the slices of supple peach. "What? But Jare-"

"You've had three peaches, this is your forth. It's enough." He took one of the slices and ate it.

"Don't steal!" She whined and pulled the small bowl closer to herself. Jareth chuckled and took another one and also grabbed the last one. Sarah jumped towards him and took the last piece into her mouth before Jareth could. He looked at her and for the first time she saw a look of complete surprise on his face. It kind of made him look like a child, but the expression was quickly replaced with his trademark smirk. She lolled at him and quickly pulled away when his face once again changed to something else, something that reminded her of when Toby saw an ice cream stand and kept looking at it like he was possessed until he got some.

She tried to wipe the look of slight fright off her face and lifted her chin. "I told you not to steal."


	9. Pigheaded

There really wasn’t a worse mood to catch Sarah in than the day she got her period, Jareth decided. It had been about half a year now since her first time and the day Jareth ‘found out’ would be burned in both their memories forever. It had been quite painful and humiliating on Sarah’s part and uncomfortable on Jareth’s. At least that day Jareth had been taught the way of female mortals and their monthly bleedings. After Sarah had been having a great deal of struggle to tell him.

Which he still wasn’t sure about if he liked it and understood or not.

It was begin summer now and Jareth couldn’t be in a better mood. He walked around in short sleeved, gaping shirts and his shades were never far from his reach. His hair had changed to an angelic shade of blonde from the spring sun which he held back to a messy ponytail. The glasses he used to wear were somewhere around the house, forgotten as the sun had blinded him too often.

Sarah was still wearing long jeans and wide t-shirts. She still had a great deal of effort with wearing anything with short sleeves even though she knew it was too hot and also there was no way of tying up her hair, which she saw as a safe curtain between which she could think freely. Jareth didn’t care much about her hair since he adored her long chocolate tresses but he was a little bit concerned she wouldn’t wear clothing that would allow her to breathe properly.

And he lived between women in corsets.

Therefore, he’d take her out after school to go shopping. If she’d see something she really liked she’d be more likely to wear it. Price didn’t matter much, since Jareth earned quite a bit for teaching mythology to eight classes, plus tutoring to about fifteen students and standing ready for open days to give a taste of mythology to the may-be students.

True, it wasn’t easy, but he still enjoyed it.

Anyways, back to the matter at hand. They were driving towards school, the windows open and summer music pouring out of the radio.

Jareth was wearing long black jeans with simple black shoes, a white poet shirt like he wore in the Underground, his hair in a low ponytail and shades hiding his mismatched gaze. His summer attire was much less teacher-like and more like his Underground attire. Which basically meant tighter.

Sarah was shifting uncomfortably in the chair, which she always did when she just got her period. She wore her uniform, but had changed the skirt to normal jeans like she did often. She was doing well in school, she wasn’t a straight-A student but nobody complained. The only subject Sarah was failing was mythology, which was stupid, she thought. For some reason she refused to take tutoring and struggled by her own. The man besides her would take every chance he’d get to give her imposition at which she always had to copy a text about whatever it was they were learning at that moment. She hated him for that, not seeing he was only trying to help her in the only way he could if she refused to take tutoring.

They glided in a parking spot. Jareth closed the windows and stepped out, and locked the car after Sarah got out too. They walked past the teachers that always waited outside as long as they could to enjoy the sun. A few female teachers looked after Jareth with a blush but Jareth barely noticed and just kept looking forward. As they walked to the classroom, where Sarah would have mythology in a few minutes she smiled sadly at the empty classroom.

Kaida had dropped out, moving to England to take care of her ill grandmother. She’d probably stay there and may be coming back for a small vacation one day. They had exchanged e-mail addresses and would talk about anything. She had gotten a bit closer to her by just e-mailing, strangely.

Sarah dropped her books on her table and put her bag down, watching Jareth as he got ready for class. It still was surreal to see him as a teacher. She was starting to feel content though. Sure, her family’s death was still painful, but they wouldn’t have wanted her to mope around for the rest of her life. Even though it did make it easier to handle. “I so do not feel like going to school today.” She muttered as she walked over to his desk, hopping to sit on it.

“Why not?” Jareth muttered as he looked on his paper and wrote down the program for today on the chalkboard.

“You know why.”

“I thought you were well prepared?” Jareth muttered, turned with a frown on his face and rummaged in his suitcase. He held out a small box. “It’s a good thing I always have a few spare with me.”

Sarah’s cheeks became a bright shade of red and she looked at him with big frightful eyes. “I-I didn’t forget them!”

His head titled to one side and his hand dropped to his side. “Then why-”

Sarah rolled her eyes. “School isn’t the most fun place to go to – you don’t have to freak out.”

“You don’t have to freak out.” Jareth screeched in a girly voice while putting away the box. “I should have known though, you’re such a drama queen.”

“Oh!” Sarah wailed and punched him in the arm. “Totally. Am. Not!”

“Of course not.” He said cheerfully with the same smirk on his face. He sat on the desk besides her, enough space between them. “I think you’ll like the next myth we’re going to talk about.” Jareth muttered as he pulled his gloves tighter around his hands.

“Which one is it?”

“It’s about Minos, it's Greek. There’s a lot to tell about him – or rather them. At one point he - or actually they - let an acquaintance build a labyrinth to hide a minotaur in.”

“You’re so cocky that you just assume that I’ll like that myth.” She said with a chuckle.

He rose and went to stand in front of her, his hands on his hips. “My self confidence is justified. It really is. But don’t you like it? I picked it out especially for you.”

She smiled up at him. “Thank you, it does sound interesting. However, mythology still isn’t my thing.”

“But you fascination is for it is passionate. Therefore, if you put enough effort in it, you can make it your thing.” He purred, hoping that he could still persuade her to ask him for help.

“You’ve given me numbers of essays for all kinds of unreasonable things, if I still don’t get it then the chance I’ll ever get is just fuc-”

“What did I tell you about that word?” He interrupted with a stern frown.

Sarah grinned. “With your voice or with your appearance?”

The Goblin King’s eyebrows rose up until his hairline, his eyes wide and his jaw dropping. After a few seconds he blinked and then narrowed his eyes. “Sarah!”

The school bell rang and Sarah giggled, jumping off the desk and taking her seat. Jareth was still looking at her in shock when the rest came walking in and he quickly schooled his features.

The students took their place with their usual chatter, not seeming to plan to stop when they took their places. Jareth just kept quiet and started writing something down with a devilish grin. The students started to notice and grew quiet.

“Yes, I did get every single one that talked.” He said proudly. “Fourteen pages, the day after tomorrow, pre-Socratic. Copying from someone else and it grows to forty two pages and yes I did get familiar with all of your handwritings so don’t try to get someone else to do it. Now then.” He flopped down on his chair, getting comfortable and intertwining his hands. “Today we are going to start with the mythical stories of Minos.”

Class was long though not particularly boring. However, two girls in the front had lost interest and had closed a small dare.

Of course, Jareth had heard every word they had said and repressed a roll of his eyes. It was shocking one of the girls actually took the challenge and he watched - never halting his lecture as he was perfectly capable of doing a few things at the same time. The girl shamelessly flirted as she took her pen between her lips and enticingly moved it.

With wicked intent the Goblin King moved his hands to clasp behind his back, flicking his wrist. "You might want to stop those wanton activities on your writing materials, miss Smith. It would so be a waste of time to clean up the ink in your mouth should the awkward coincidence of your pen breaking arise."

Just then the girl felt ink spill on her tongue and she became pale. She shrunk into her seat and carefully raised her hand.

"Yes, miss Smith?"

"Um, may I go to the toilet for a second, sir?"

He pulled a face of complete shock, his hand resting over his heart. "And let you miss all this important information? That would just be plain unacceptable, now won't you agree?" Sarcasm dripped off his voice and he made it quite clear she would not be leaving until class ended.

About half an hour later the girl bolted from the classroom as soon as the bell rang and Jareth walked forward to his desk. "Now off with all of you brats. And don't forget your essays, you know the consequences." He chuckled as he saw a few guys holding pencils to their heads while moo-ing, clearly displaying a Minotaur.

-

Sarah stepped outside silently, looking around the parking lot. It was late in the afternoon, just past four and she hoped Jareth would give her a ride. Her eyes fell on a small group of students that had gathered on her left, screaming ‘fight’ in unison. A familiar voice was screaming to let him go and unconsciously Sarah made her way to the group, her possessive streak getting the best of her.

Before she knew it she was in the middle of the group, between Wesley and Kevin. Wesley was sneering down at her with a gleam of interest in his eyes. Kevin was starting to panic behind her and he muttered in her ear. “Sarah, get out of here.”

“Well well, there’s our little crybaby.” Wesley advanced on her but this time Sarah didn’t budge. “Still wearing long sleeves and jeans? Just in case you didn’t notice, it’s summer.”

“Pick someone of your own size, Wesley.”

He grinned and thought for a few seconds. “Since I’m quite tall myself that would be… your protective Romeo, isn’t he?”

“He isn’t my Romeo. Besides, I’m pretty sure he’s taller than you are.”

“I apologize, I didn’t mean to offend your boyfriend.”

“He’s not my boyfriend. He isn’t any kind of boy, by the way. Unlike you.”

Wesley lifted one eyebrow, looking rather arrogant. “Oh but pretty one, I’m more man than you could ever handle.”

“Being a prick and prancing around your friends are not characteristics of a man, Wesley. I’m pretty sure those are features of an insecure coward.”

The guy in front of her narrowed his eyes and stepped even closer. “I’m getting tired of this attitude, you bitch.” He turned his head to one of his friend and chuckled. “Tends to happen when they’re on their period.”

Sarah blushed and it became just a bit too accurate for her liking. In a blind mix of panic and annoyance she brought her hand back and bashed it into his nose. He staggered backwards, his hand flying to his nose. Blood started to pour from between his fingers and a low growl came from his lips. “Oh, you made a mistake now. I don’t give a shit punching a girl is weird – you’re going black and blue, Williams.” He let go of his nose and lunged for her. Kevin closed her in his arms protectively.

The girl panicked. Not just because Wesley was coming for her but also because Kevin was touching her. She wriggled and escaped from his arms. Suddenly Wesley was right in front of her, but something was going on. His face was contorted in pain which somehow didn’t seem to be because of his bleeding nose.

He was pulled back to the ground, an arm wrapping around her. But she knew the feeling of this arm and the presence behind her. She tried to calm her quivering body as his words completely slipped past her.

Before she knew it she was standing by the car, Jareth shaking her out of her trance as he leaned down to her level. "Sarah? Sarah! Talk to me you foolish girl!"

"Hum... Um, what?" She blinked a few times and her mind caught up with what she just did. "Oh shit..." Her knees gave out and she started to slide down the car. The Goblin King held her up and put her on the front of the car letting out a relieved sigh. "He's gonna kill me."

"Nonsense. I won't let him. I'd be damned if I had to go through your entire depression just to have you slip away because of some prick."

Sarah blushed and looked up at him. "He called you my protective Romeo."

Jareth grinned and puffed his chest, leaning on the car with one hand. "Well I must admit I'm quite charming and I do protect what's precious to me." Even though he didn't lean really close to her, he did go past her normal wall formed against every guy yet she didn't back away. Instead she laughed at him and pushed with one hand against his face. He took her hand from his face and pulled her from the hood. "Now let's go home. You're making dinner tonight and I have lots of work to do. Nice punch by the way."

"Yeah I can get pretty angry sometimes."

He looked at her and smiled. Very slowly she was becoming less careful, this meant it was just a matter of time until she would be able to step up for herself again.

"By the way, we're having broccoli tonight."

"Ah, nuts." Jareth growled as he thrusted the seatbelt into its lock.

-

"Please Sarah - I beg you - turn this infernal noise off!"

Sarah stuck our her tongue to him and hummed along with the music as she cooked. For some reason he hated Alice Cooper. She didn't think he was that bad. She cheerfully stepped in place on 'Perfect', mouthing the words.

Jareth watched as her lips formed 'oh she's so perfect'. Ever since he had decided to take care of her, now more than one and a half year, he had directed fully to her recovery. Now that she was starting to get a little looser, especially at home, he felt himself getting distracted.

It wasn't just her body that was filling with curves, also her characteristics fascinated him. She was bashful often, playful at other times, stern, touchy and cheerful. Her whirlwind of impressions and expressions never failed to gain his interest. The way she pursed her lips and frowned as she was deep in thought was comical, and the way her eyebrows tilted and her lips curled down as she felt sad was heartbreaking. No one had ever been able to let him react so violently to all of one's emotions.

But he had to draw a line. And it had better be a good one because if he let himself slip just once he'd have to start all over again - or worse.

He was such a fool. He'd gone after a girl, a mere mortal child, out of damn curiosity. Unconsciously during her run in the Labyrinth he'd started to care for her and now the mighty King of the Goblins was starting to feel for the now developing woman.

He'd been so lost in thought he practically jumped out of his skin when Sarah placed his plate in front of him.

"Wake up, dinner's ready." She took off her apron and put it away.

Jareth looked down at the broccoli. He had no problems with the chicken and tato tots but it was that damn greenery. Why would anyone eat that voluntarily? Not so very subtly he ate the rest first, Sarah keeping a stern eye on him.

Sarah couldn't believe what she saw. He wouldn't touch his broccoli - again. Determined to teach him a lesson she took his plate, noticing his triomphant grin. She turned to the counter and started to pile up more broccoli onto his plate. From the corner of her eye she saw him stiffen and moving to flee. "Run, and you'll have broccoli for the rest of your days." The man let out a shocked squeak and his eyes widened as she turned to him.

Sarah sat down on the edge of the table, taking a piece of broccoli on her fork she moved it to his mouth and he pressed his lips together, shaking his head with a 'hm-hmpf'. She knew how to do this - she'd done it in the Labyrinth too. She squeezed his nose closed and waited from him to open up.

Jareth's cheeks started to become red and he gritted his teeth. Finally, when he could take no more he parted his lips and she pushed the bite into his mouth. "I'm used to being fed more gently." The man huffed as he chewed on the plant in his mouth. "Absolutely the most vile thing I've ever eaten. And I live with goblins."

"Poor you. Finish the plate, I mean it." She saw him focus on the food and she punishingly tapped his nose. "No poofing away, no spell, no magic."

The Goblin King looked at her and then back at the food. "I'm not going to follow orders from a g-" He saw her eyes narrow. "G-great individual that is so very caring, hardworking and smart..." He winced at the look he gave her.

Think of those three glorious weeks a month.

With disgust he took another piece of broccoli from his plate and shoved it into his mouth, biting on the what-might-as-well-have-been-plastic.

Later that evening Sarah lay curled up on the couch when he walked in. "Sarah, it's time for me to go. You know the drill." The man frowned as he heard her whisper a 'sure' mixed with a sob. The Goblin King hurried to her side and kneeled next to her. "Sarah? What's wrong?"

"It's nothing, just a little stomachache. Good luck at work."

The man pressed his lips together and carefully rubbed her arm, hoping he wasn't crossing a line. To his relief he felt her relax and he looked with worry to her face as it contorted in pain. "Sarah, would you mind me using your study tonight? So I can work here?" She shook her head silently and even though he knew he had to leave he couldn't find the strength to do so. After a few minutes of watching her he sent her up for a bath and walked to the study.

-

Pellax looked around the room uncomfortably while waiting for Jareth to give him permission to resume duties.

There was a soft knock on the door and both men turned their heads in surprise. "Enter?"

A smile spread on the King's face as Sarah's head popped in, seeing she was in uniform already. "Ah dear Sarah, do come in." He rose from his seat and went to stand besides the desk.

"Hi - um... I'm sorry, I didn't know you had a visitor - um, didn't want to interrupt either..."

"This is Pellax, my counsellor. He's here to help with my duties." As he looked at Pellax's face darkening with lust he became alert and once his counsellor started to move he immidiately took measurements, knowing how this would end. With a flourish he conjured one of his short crops and moved towards Sarah. As he stood between Sarah and Pellax his possessive streak had already taken over and the crop cracked against his counsellor's cheek, snapping him out of his daze. He knew Sarah's menstruation would attract someone sooner or later. "Stand back, imbecile!"

As the counsellor's head snapped to the side he backed off and kneeled submissively. "I beg your forgiveness, your majesty! I don't know what came over me."

The girl looked from Jareth to the other man and kept hidden behind him. Jareth's voice was soft as he turned his head sideways. "Sarah, do you know by any chance what the time is?"

"I-it's almost eight."

"Then we shall end my duties here." He turned back to Pellax. "We will have a little chat tomorrow. Enjoy yourself with my blue and yellow section in the library - you appear to need some tutoring."

"Yes your highness, anything for my king." He said with his head lowered.

"You're dismissed." As soon as his counsellor vanished he turned. "That little suck-up." He grumbled as he walked past her. "All fresh this morning? Did you have breakfast yet?" He chirped, cheerful again.

"Yep, all set to go. Oh and um..."

"Yes?"

"I need new - um, you know."

"I do? What is it that you need? Clothes, shoes, notebooks, what?"

"Well, um - you know - uh, tampons." She choked out nervously and shrunk.

"Ah, I do apologize, Sarah. Of course, I'll get you some today. Or do we need to go before school?"

"No, after is fine." Sarah said with a relieved sigh. She had said the word for the first time to him. It hadn't been as hard as she had expected. It was nice to let someone close to her. "By the way - what's the blue and yellow section?"

"Honestly, I have no idea. I believe it's torture and child deliveries concerning all races. I'll let his fantasy come up with one of my inventive punishments. I wonder what I'll come up with." He went to the kitchen and got a glass of juice. "Clean that up, young lady." He demanded as he pointed to the dishes she just left.

"I will when we get back."

"Now."

"Catch me first!" She cried out and bolted out of the back door.

The Goblin King laughed and stepped outside but found it empty. He walked around and ended up between the big oak tree and an old dog house. He let out a scream as something grabbed him by the legs and a part from his glass with juice spilled onto the grass.

Sarah crawled out of the doghouse, laughing until tears brimmed her eyes. "Oh Jareth, you should have seen your face!" She giggled at his frown and managed to jump away when he lunged to catch her.

"You stubborn child - I'll get you for that trick!"

"Would like to see you try!"

The man went towards her again and this time she climbed into the tree. He growled . As if her scent wasn't intoxicating enough already - how cruel the fates were being to him.

"Give up?"

Jareth looked up at her and grinned. "Never, precious, especially not when you're concerned." He stiffened as he used the pet name he'd given her when she ran the labyrinth.

Sarah seemed shocked too and didn't seem to know how to react. "What did just say?"

"Especially not when you're concerned?" Best to try and avoid it.

"No, before that."

"Never?"

"Jareth..." She said warningly.

"I didn't mean to call you that, Sarah, I -"

"Oh so you don't think I'm precious?"

"Of course I do, I -" Then he saw the grin on her face and gave her a glare. "Oh you tease - get down here so I can tickle you till death."

"Get up here so I can push you off." She grinned.

"Just get down, we'll be late for school."

The girl looked for a way to get down. How did she even get up here. "I - um, I..." Sarah looked around helplessly and then down at Jareth. "Um - catch me?" He seemed baffled at her request and it took a few seconds until he reacted, letting the glass vanish and holding out his arms.

'Don't worry, you can trust him. You know you can.' She told herself sternly. The girl took a gulp of air and then let herself drop down. He caught her like he promised but lost his balance and sent them both falling to the ground. She groaned and lifted her head. When she saw she had fallen on top of him she flew back. The fact that he wore his Underground clothes making it even scarier.

"Sarah? Are you hurt?"

"I-I'm fine. You?"

"Nothing a touch of magic can't fix." He hovered his hand over his ankle for a few second and then removed it, raising. "Now then, that's enough for now don't you agree? Come on, let's go to school."

-

It was late night and Jareth was just about to return to his kingdom. He just had to say goodbye to Sarah and remind her of her last two days at school before summer break and she had yet to hand in another mythology paper.

It had been about two years since the incident and Sarah's birthday was coming up. He found himself clueless as to what to get for her, but that would have to wait. He had an appointment with Maturitas and Daemonion - and one was never late when having a meeting with the Masters of Time. And even if you were late you'd get hurled into a vortex that would torture you until you had learned your lesson. Jareth being one of the Knights of Time prevent him from ending up like that, but being late would still have it's concequences.

As he walked up to her room he heard a muffled noise and he knocked onto the door. "Sarah? May I come in?"

"Go away."

Jareth frowned at her low tone of voice, it was strained - a tone he hadn't heard in a while. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing is, go!"

The man sighed and slowly opened the door, peeking his head in carefully. "Sarah? Are you crying?"

"No!" She sobbed and hurled a pillow towards him.

With a simple gesture Jareth brushed it out of his way and he walked over to her after closing the door. She was on her bed, her safe haven, so he wouldn't come any closer. A box was at her feet and he held his hands out. "Come here, my dear." He cooed and she seemed to back away a bit. "Please, come."

She looked at his face carefully but saw only genuine concern. Carefully, she rose from the bed and walked towards him, stopping about three feet away from him.

He carefully put his hands on her shoulders and sighed. "What were you doing?"

"Nothing." She muttered a bit bitterly.

"Do you want me to comfort you?" He asked carefully and looked at her face carefully. A few moments passed before she nodded shyly and he gently pulled her close, cradling her against his chest. One of his hands stroked her hair and the other held her to him.

The girl sobbed softly as she wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you Jareth, for everything. I wouldn't know where I'd have been now if it wasn't for you."

"I'd do anything for you, Sarah. You've been through enough as it is." He lay his head against the side of hers, feeling her tense for a moment before she relaxed. "I must leave now though, I've got something important in my agenda today. Is there anything I can do for you before I go?"

"I don't think so. What time will you be back?"

"Around one I think. But don't wait up, it won't be pretty."

"What won't?"

"Hm?"

Sarah frowned. "What won't be pretty?"

Jareth was silent for a moment and he let go of her. "I tend to get ... worn out on meetings like these. Not to worry though, I'll be as fit as a fiddle tomorrow morning."

"What if I do wait up?"

He sighed and rose one eyebrow. "Then you'll be exhausted tomorrow. And yes, you are going to school." Sarah pouted and he conjured a handkerchief. "Now, no more tears anymore alright? If you feel the desire to talk about this matter we will do so tomorrow, okay?" She nodded and he wiped her tears away. "Now then, to bed in ten minutes alright?"

"I might." She muttered and chuckled at his stern expression. He ruffled her hair and then disappeared.


	10. Explanations

Sarah was idly brushing her hair, looking in the mirror while biting her lip. She was deliberately staying up so she could tell Jareth what she'd been doing when he walked in - and to give him something that was precious to her. She wouldn't be able to sleep anyway.

The brush slipped from her fingers as she heard a loud crash downstairs. She dived below the bed, frightened. But when she heard a curse from a voice that was most definitely Jareth's, the girl came out and hurried down the stairs.

Her hands slapped over her mouth as she found the Goblin King sagged against the kitchen counter, two broken plates, two broken cups and some cutlery scattered around him. She noticed he even had a small shard sticking in his cheek.

"Oh my god, Jareth!" The girl hurried to him and kneeled besides him.

He looked horrible, to say the least. His hair was dull, his skin deathly pale, his lips a sickening shade of purple and dark shadows under your eyes.

"Holy crap - have you been mauled by a vampire?"

"What are you doing out of bed?" He grumbled.

"I kinda lost track of time." She lied smoothly. Carefully the girl tilted his face up and pulled the shard from his cheek, pulling a face. She cleaned the wound as if she'd done it for years and put a band aid over it while Jareth seemed to have trouble keeping his eyes open. She pulled him up, groaning as she tried to get him on his feet. "A little help, Goblin King."

Jareth pushed himself up, wobbly, and staggered. His legs felt like rubber, his head like an anvil and the rest like cotton wool. Sarah seemed to ponder how to get him to bed, then she wrapped one of his arms around her shoulders and led him to the stairs.

"Okay Jareth, use your last bit of strength to get up these. Come on, I'll help you." She pulled him along, almost dragging him up the stairs and walked them to his room. She dropped him onto the bed and he breathed heavily, as if he just ran a marathon. She looked at him, concerned and it wasn't until then that she realized he'd fallen asleep. She walked to the doorway. "Good night, Jareth." Quietly, the girl walked out and downstairs to clean up the mess.

-

Jareth opened his eyes. They were sore and as he rose from the bed it took a while before his blood started pumping properly. And this was just the first out of the nine times this would happen.

He staggered his way out of the room, conjuring himself into his teacher-clothes. For a moment he rested against the wall of the hallway, collecting his thoughts, finding his balance and letting his bloodstream adjust to his new erect position. When the feeling of new strength had settled he let out a deep breath and headed downstairs where he found Sarah, neatly dressed in school uniform and making breakfast.

Sarah turned as she felt his presence and she smiled. "Good morning, your majesty. Well rested again?"

"Absolutely."

"Liar." She grinned and turned to the counter, grabbing two plates and putting them on the table. "Eat."

Jareth sat down at the table and ate breakfast quietly. As he finished he blinked a few times in surprise as Sarah peeled something off his cheek that was stuck to it. She rummaged in a nearby box and before he could notice what she took she pressed it against his cheek, where it seemed to be glued to it. With a frown his touched his cheek.

"You kind of fell into the plates when you came home last night. A piece of it stuck into your cheek. I removed it and put a band aid on it." The girl explained.

"I... I fell into the plates?" The Goblin King muttered, confused.

she shrugged. "I heard a loud crash and when I got downstairs you sat on the floor with your back against the counter, plates and other stuff scattered around you."

"Sarah, why didn't you obey me? I told you to go to bed ten minutes after I left." He growled.

"And what if I had?" She snapped back, seeing a surprised look on his face. "You would have still been on the floor, maybe even sprawled on top of those shards, knifes and forks, bleeding from you cheek and wherever you would've been injured. You could just thank me for caring for you and dragging you upstairs to put you on your bed!" She rose, her face filled with hurt and anger, and she took the now empty plates and cups and started cleaning them in the sink. She felt his eyes on her back and she dropped the dishes, her eyes pricking. She'd do those later. The girl crossed her arms and stared outside.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be ungrateful." His voice was closer and his hand came to rest on her shoulder.

She shrugged his hand off her shoulder. "I was only trying to take care of you. You cared for me for two years and I haven't done anything for you to repay you."

"I know you did. And you don't need to repay me. You being safe is the best reward there is."

"You scared me to death last night. You looked as if you could die the next minute."

The man frowned and very carefully hugged her. She tensed for a moment but didn't shake him off. "I'm sorry. I wanted to withhold you from the sight of a drained Fae."

"What the hell happened at that meeting?" She demanded.

"I..." He hesitated for a moment if he should tell her but his lips set in a firm line. "I had an appointment with the Masters of Time."

"Why?" The girl asked curtly.

"I had to... pay them back for a service."

"And that service would be?"

"It was for -" He held his breath for a moment, deciding whether or not he should tell the full story. "It was for an ancient ritual to provide people a good afterlife. The Masters of Time can provide this to their Knights if said Knights are prepared to sacrifice a load of their energy."

"A good afterlife?" She gasped softly, freezing. The girl was silent for a few moments. "Those people... W-were those people... my family?"

The man clenched his teeth together, closing his eyes briefly. "In this matter... Yes, it was your family."

Tears started to stream down her cheeks. "B-but... Why?" She whispered shakily.

"They were good people. Besides, they were precious to you - and for you and the people you care for, only the best is good enough."

Sarah turned around and pushed him from her. "Stop! Stop it!" She pressed her eyes closed tightly as she was still crying and her hands fisted against his chest. "Why? Why are you doing all of this? Is there something you need from me? Why would you put yourself through all this just for some stupid, cowardly and worthless mortal?"

Jareth growled and grabbed her shoulders. "Sarah, look at me." His eyes were sharp as she looked up at him. "Don't let anyone make you believe you're stupid, a coward or worthless, you hear me? I'd go through hell and back to secure safety to the people I care for. And don't you dare try to make me think otherwise because for the past two years, it has given me a precious pastime, and I won't let you make me sit in a corner to watch you struggle."

He looked into her wide eyes and he let out a soft sigh, calming himself. Jareth wrapped his arms around her and rocked her gently, willing the tears to stop rolling down her cheeks.

"I want to do something for you in return. I don't want to be the damsel in distress that watches a knight fight for her, don't make me watch it all from the sidelines."

"You foolish girl, you don't know what you're saying. We'll talk later about your possibilities to help me, now, we need to face the real world and head for school or we'll be late." He laid a hand on her shoulder and started to lead her to the front door but she slapped it away violently.

"No! Fuck school! I want to know what's going on!" She exploded after which she started to sob. "I need to know this." Hadn't she been so blinded with emotions as her eyes sank to the floor she'd have noticed his alarmed demeanour. Distantly she felt two hands coming to rest upon her shoulders and she looked up at him. "Please."

The Goblin King squirmed from the inside, seeing the pain and desperation on her face as she begged him for clarification. She had used the 'F' word again which he had strictly forbidden, but if he'd scold her now she'd turn from him further and he wouldn't have that. "I don't want to hurt you, Sarah..." He said carefully.

"Then tell me. They were my family - my everything. I need to hear this from you."

Even though she didn't say it, it was clear that she meant she only wanted to hear it from him. Involving someone else - for example another Knight or even a Master - was out of the question. Her voice also promised that if he didn't, everything would change.

Which was why he had no choice but to give in. He'd tell the headmaster important family matters had kept them from school.

"Change into something comfortable, Sarah. We've got a long conversation ahead of us." He said softly as he turned from her, heading for the living room.

A few minutes later they were sitting on the couch, each of their backs resting against the armrest and their legs curled up in front of them. Jareth was preparing himself to tell her everything while Sarah was fussing slightly, struggling to clear her head enough to hear him out. Her eyes rose to his as she felt ready and after a deep sigh he started.

"There are six Masters of Time." He began, thinking it would be best if he started with the basic information. "Each of them serving a different purpose. They're split up in three 'teams', if you'd like to call it that, appointed to three different Fae. At first, there's Saborath, a Knight of Time. He's king of the blessed and keeper of limbo, a place between life and death. By his side stands two Masters of Time, Hora and Moneo. He serves for punishment and indecision. Secondly, there's Bölfar, king of the elves and the nightmare king. He is led by Somini and Permotio. His purpose is to lead those who linger in shadows to darker places and he drives back the thriving. Then, there's me. King of the goblins and caretaker of dreams and wishes. I'm seen after by Maturitas and Daemonion. My purpose is to grant favours for those in need, to lure people into rest and to master chaos.

The Knights aren't actual servants of the Masters, even though they stand above us. You could see them as Gods, in that vision we would be Demigods that serve the purpose of keeping all in our world balanced. We've been granted immortality to keep said balance stable. Heirs and heiresses might have other ideas or might even try to take over. The three of us have seen the cradle of the world - none of us have been witness to its actual birth but we've seen it from the moment the Masters had created a balance.

There are powers above the Masters of which none have seen a glimpse. Something similar to the God you know, but in the Underground we don't picture these higher powers as a person, but more like a spectre from the worlds that have been before ours. The Masters all have a shape, though. For example, Maturitas and Daemonion. They are two blind man-like forms, looking much like skeletons with just a thin veil of skin on their bones and barely any hair on their head. They each give off an extreme temperature where Maturitas is boiling and Daemonion is freezing.

It has been said my mother once roamed the earth, treading between the two worlds in a time and place similar to the tale of Adam and Eve. This made her a good candidate to bear a Knight. How it went with the other Knights I don't know, but once I was old enough I was forced to build my own 'tunnel' between worlds, dreams and wishes - which is the Labyrinth. I was given a burden for my duties, the goblins. Wishes and dreams are things often pictured as stunningly beautiful and therefore goblins have thwarting attributes. After all a balance cannot be kept when one would rush head first to dreams and wishes, people would become too spoiled and eventually my existence would be proven worthless and therefore not necessary. Which would leave only nightmares.

Every now and then the Masters would gift us with an unusual circumstance. In my case it was often a nightmare, a curse or something pretty on the outside with a fiendish nature. Something counteractive to my nature. My last 'gift' was somewhat of a slip up. It was not fiendish nor was it... angelic. I had been given a neutral influence, not fazed by my burden but not flattered by a pretty display." A smile curled around his lips. "That was you, Sarah. You wasn't repelled by the sight of my creatures but wasn't blindly drawn to my representation of dreams and wishes. Like my mother you were walking on a fine line. Not only on the worlds' edges, but also on the two extremities of my realm. You managed to see the beauty in the repulsive and the horrors in beauty. <i>That's</i> why I said not to let anyone make you believe you're stupid, a coward or worthless, because you're not."

Sarah tried to breath as she took it all in. The beginning of his world, Gods and Demigods, burdens and extremities - it was so much to take in and he wasn't even ready yet. He waited a few moments and then continued.

"The blood that bore such a defying being that had been accidentally gifted to a Demigod was valuable. It was clear to me that there was something special to these mix of genes and such. Perhaps that was why I was - and still am - so interested in Toby. You gave me a taste of something unique to me - equality and neutrality, it made me greedy for more. I didn't - and still don't - want to loose this particular gift. That's why your family was special - and why you're special."

Sarah blushed and fiddled with her hands as she bit her lip. It was so strange from this point of view. There was no recognition of her world which she could compare his world with. She was trying to grasp something unknown and tried to get a glimpse of something far greater than she had ever imagined. "This is all so unreal..." Suddenly she remembered. She hadn't given him her gift yet. She say up straighter, more confident.

"Jareth, there's something I wanted to give to you. As a thanks for everything - it kind of had to do with me crying the other day." The girl looked at him carefully.

Jareth smiled kindly at her sudden nervousness and felt relieved that she seemed to take everything quite well so far. "What is it?" He watched her as she left the room and waited patiently until her return.

When Sarah entered again she held her hands to her chest and sat down on the couch. "It isn't much, but it's valuable to me and I hope it will be to you too." She removed her hands from her chest and stretched them towards him. "Thank you, for everything."

Jareth looked down at her hands and took a small object from her hands. He looked closely at the picture of Sarah holding Toby to her chest. They were both smiling towards the camera, Toby still partly toothless and were cut off from halfway Sarah's chest and Toby's belly. They wore winter's clothing, a blush on their cheeks and little clouds coming from their mouths. Sarah wore a white coat with fur and a black scarf and hat. Her hair was captured in the middle of a breeze. Toby wore a blue thick but tiny coat, white gloves and a black hat.

A touched smile spread over the Goblin King's face, the first one to ever grace his lips. "Thank you Sarah, this is without a doubt the most valuable gift I've ever had." He looked up and winked. "Apart from you, of course." He chuckled at her dark blush and he held out his arms. Sarah shyly moved closer and hugged him, letting out a deep sigh, happy she now knew what his motives were. 

"I don't really get it though - how could they make such a slip up?"

"Maybe it wasn't as much of an accident as I presented it to be. Saborath and Bölfar are pretty much soulless. They have no real need for anything. However, I appear to be the emotional guy from the Court of Time. I got lonely and let myself get pulled into the behaviour of the goblins, therefore the balance started to falter ever so slowly. I believe you were meant to be a clue for me to fall back to my old self and restore the balance. However, I doubt the Masters didn't anticipate I'd get a soft spot for you. I already noticed they were grouchy when I called upon them to claim my ritual for your family." He chuckled and looked at the picture again.

"But... I'm not a dreamer... I-I haven't had a dream since I've been... Um, used... I've only had nightmares."

"You might not be a dreamer right now - not since your traumatizing experience and not until you've digested it or your families death - but it will come back. Besides that you were still a wisher - and someone with a massive amount of hope." He put the picture on the table. "You were like my mother and they hoped it would remind me of my roots and therefor remember my purpose." He chuckled. "Little did they know they only distracted me further."

Sarah pursed her lips. "Do you remember your childhood? Where you used to live?"

He looked down a little. "No. Not really at least. I was put in captivity to protect me until I'd be ready to take my place as a Knight. My mother rarely visited but I knew her nonetheless. Besides that I could go outside once every three years, for one day. From dawn to dusk. I practiced magic, meditated, read books and learned many languages in my days."

"There were languages back then?"

He chuckled. "Ancient tongues, long forgotten, yes."

"How many languages do you know?"

Jareth frowned and thought for a moment. "Ninety-two or so. Maybe ninety-three. Funnily, now that I think about it, I believe your name is the only one that can be pronounced in every language."

"Well that saves me some effort when I introduce myself." He laughed and she looked at him closely. "So - what's your actual age?"

Faked dread filled his face. "Don't - don't ask me that."

She giggled as she pictured a few scenes with Jareth in them. Walking past a dinosaur, fighting with a caveman, between old farmers, faros, Napoleon and a few others.

"No I have not." He stated, knowing exactly what she was thinking. "I didn't live in this world, remember?" Sarah pouted, her fun blown to bits as he scolded her. "Any other questions?"

"No I have just heard of a creation of an entire world, what there to ask?" She said archly. "What did your mother look like?"

A smile split on his face as he thought back to his mother. "I'll never forget her. She had beautiful straight blond hair, green eyes like tropical leaves and a face seeming to be sculpted from marble. The Romans would have worshipped her - Shakespeare would've been standing speechless and Aphrodite would have crawled into a far corner in shame. Her smile was like the brush of a butterfly's wing and her frown like storming seas." He sighed. "I've never seen her after my tenth birthday. I was taken beyond the realms to prepare for my Knighthood and when I returned all I knew had gone - even the mountains and the stars."

"That's so sad..." Sarah whispered, leaning her head on the back of the couch. "I wonder if someone equal to her lived some time - or will live in the future."

"Your eyes remind me of her. Her lashes were just as full and your irises are the same shade of green."

The girl blushed and repressed the urge to back away as she saw the look in his eyes. "I'm no where near that special."

Jareth rolled his eyes with a chuckle. "I didn't make the whole story up. Trust me."


End file.
